New Client: Shildon & Newton Aycliffe – Shaping the Future Through Heritage

We’re delighted to be working with Durham County Council on an exciting new project that’s putting heritage at the heart of regeneration across Shildon and Newton Aycliffe – two County Durham towns with proud industrial roots, strong communities, and huge potential for renewal.

Building futures from proud pasts

As part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Places programme, the Shildon and Newton Aycliffe initiative aims to show how local heritage can power skills, creativity, and pride in place. From railways and engineering to community stories, this project is all about connecting people with the heritage that built their towns – and inspiring the next generation to shape what comes next.

What we’ll be doing

At The Evaluator, we’re leading on data analysis and project evaluation, helping the partnership to understand what works, why it works, and how heritage can drive positive, measurable change.

Our role will include:

• Bringing together heritage, community and demographic data into a single evidence base – spotlighting where activity is strong and where there are gaps to fill.
• Designing and running a population survey to capture voices from across both towns – with a special focus on children and young people as heritage champions.
• Facilitating creative engagement sessions with residents who are often under-represented in consultations, so that everyone can contribute to the future of their place.
• Co-creating a Theory of Change and a practical evaluation toolkit for partners to use long after the project ends – making evaluation simple, useful and built to last.

By combining robust analysis with real stories, we’ll help Durham County Council and partners to turn data into action – informing future investment and keeping heritage at the heart of local development.

Why it matters

This commission isn’t just about measuring outputs. It’s about understanding how heritage strengthens places and people – from boosting local economies to nurturing confidence and belonging. Our work will:

• Map heritage assets and skills across both towns, highlighting opportunities for learning and employment.
• Evidence how heritage engagement supports wellbeing, community cohesion and pride in place.
• Identify investable propositions – clear, evidence-based opportunities to attract future funding and partnerships.
• Celebrate the voices of local people – especially children and young people – so that they can see themselves as part of their town’s story and future.

A collaborative approach

Our methodology will align with the Heritage Places initiative at national level, ensuring local findings feed into wider learning about how heritage can transform communities. The evaluation will be co-created with partners and participants, grounded in both data and lived experience – because we believe the best insights come from listening as well as measuring.

We’re proud to be part of this next chapter for Shildon and Newton Aycliffe – towns that have always led the way in making and movement, and now stand ready to shape the future through heritage.

If you’re involved in heritage, education, or community work in County Durham and would like to learn more about how to get involved, we’d love to hear from you.

📧 info@theevaluator.co.uk | 📞 01756 532 538