Chairman's Report 2010
I talked last year about Teesdale Marketing (TML) changing to meet the changes that were happening around us: the demise of the District Council; the appearance of the new county unitary authority; the uncertainty about partnership working - something with which we'd demonstrated adeptness over the years; and a lack of funding for projects that TML might lead.
It's not that funding is the main issue per se. It's just that the reason for TML's existence is to achieve things that others can't and we've succeeded in the past by stepping into a vacuum and, if the funding's available, completing the proposed project. It became clear a year ago that most grant funding was to be funnelled through bodies such as Barnard castle Vision and the tourism authority and it didn't look likely that they'd need TML in the short term. For that reason, last year we discussed closing down TML (which was erroneously, yet rather spiritedly, publicly announced by a town councillor) or maybe putting it on the "back burner". My actual words were: "not close it (TML) down but be there to see if we can be of help and benefit - and wait and see what happens".
Well I'm glad we didn't close it down. A vacuum was noticed and, by the remarkable efforts of Hazel Coppack and Sue Beresford, TML bid to run a local food initiative throughout the whole of the west of County Durham. As a result, funders have asked TML to run the three year project, with a budget of around £400,000, with partners including the AONB Partnership, the Enterprise Agency, Weardale Visitor Network, Weardale Community Partnership, Allen Valleys Community Partnership, UTASS, Middleton Plus, Teesdale Conservation Volunteers, Barnard Castle Vision and Durham County Council. The funders made this decision in part because of our background of successfully delivering projects, working well in partnership with others.
The project is a tremendous opportunity to help local producers emerge, grow and develop, to encourage both commercial and domestic consumers to expand their local food knowledge and repertoire, to educate young people as to the joys and benefits of producing, cooking and eating and to promote the Durham Dales as a food destination for both visiting and sourcing. This is an economic development project, welcome enough in these challenging economic times, that embraces both local industry and tourism and crosses firmly into the education sector.
So despite the recession, despite the pending political upheaval or otherwise, there are jobs for TML to do based on the experience gained over the last eleven years or so.
As a result of this renewed vigour, we have three new directors on the board and we welcome Barbara-Anne Johnson, Stuart Heseltine and Emma Percival; all of whom bring much needed specialist expertise and enthusiasm to the team.
Willy Salvin stepped down as a director and chairman of the finance committee at last year's AGM after being a tremendous source of inspiration, intelligence and wit over the years and after many years as a director and most able treasurer, Edward Cockburn also stepped down. David Hutchinson has stepped boldly into the vacated treasurer role.
Obviously, I've been chairman since the company's inception and I'm willing to stay as such but also perfectly happy to stand aside to let someone else have a go.
Of course, TML is still involved in the marketing of Teesdale to some extent and the recently updated Discover Teesdale website with its events calendar and accommodation listings continues to attract thousands of unique visitors each month. And for those with tourism-related businesses, free copies of the Explore Teesdale Bedroom Browser produced last year are still available from the TICs. We are an active partner to Barnard Castle Vision and although the farmers market stallholder management group took over complete responsibility for the management and administration of the market at 1st April 2010, TML will continue to be supportive of the market through the new food project.
The food project shows that community groups like TML are necessary and I hope that there might be other exciting projects around the corner. It's difficult to forecast in these economic times but a year ago we couldn't forecast what we'd be doing today.
Bill Oldfield, Chairman 9th April 2010