Charity's £500,000 expansion near Darlington to help Army families

The Clervaux Trust hopes to start work on the three new timber buildings on its Clow Beck Centre farm, to the west of Croft-on-Tees, in the summer.

The Fold will be an army family centre for parents and children facing issues of loss, injury and loneliness.

A neighbouring building will be a base for special needs clients to take part in the charity's workshops, while a new barn will house its small flock of animals.

Clervaux Trust has been helping veterans in Catterick Garrison for some time, as well as its existing service users in Croft and Darlington, which include young people with complex behavioural, social or learning difficulties.

The Fold will allow it to expand its current work with soldiers, as well as support service families while their loved ones are away.

Clervaux offers daytime sessions in different crafts, including green woodwork, textiles, pottery, weaving and gardening.

The farm is also a smallholding, with a variety of different animals on-site including pigs, sheep, donkeys and chickens.

Representatives from Clervaux and its surveying company Lewis Surveying Associates gave a presentation to locals in the village hall, Croft-on-Tees on Wednesday evening.

They explained how crafts helped soldiers who had returned from conflict zones, and some opened up and spoke about their experiences when they were learning their new skills. Evidence showed this could also help avoid post traumatic stress disorder in the longer-term, Lone Helliwell, of Clervaux, explained.

The programme helps families bond after extended periods on deployment, or those who may be facing fears such as dealing with injury or leaving the armed forces.

The new family centre is being funded by an HM Treasury LIBOR grant.

It will be on land across the stream from the existing eco-centre, not far from the Teesdale Way, behind the village's flood barrier and Clow Beck House bed and breakfast.

The buildings will be no higher than a single-storey bungalow, and comprise workshops, kitchen and dining areas and a lounge, as well as new gardens to grow flowers and produce for the kitchen. A car park will also be on-site but there is no residential provision.

Clervaux is part of the Ruskin Mill Trust and provides educational and residential care provision in the Darlington area. It was launched in 2008 and set out to deliver provision for young people in danger of not being in education or employment. It now offers residential social care as well as parenting programmes for teenage parents.

It operates an artisan bakery and Darlington as well as residential homes locally.

Future plans include a specialist school and to further strengthen links with nearby Catterick Garrison.