A CHARITY supporting vulnerable adults has unveiled a new conservation area aimed at providing its residents with activities to develop their confidence and skills - while engaging with the wider community.

The area at Changing Lives, The Fells, at Plawsworth, near Chester-le-Street, was officially opened today by Durham County Council chairman Cllr Eddie Bell and television presenter Rachel Sweeney.

The transformed site includes a wetland, a wildflower meadow, a butterfly garden, a bird hide and an ornamental pond.

The work was carried out with the help of £7,000 from Durham county councillors Heather Liddle, Simon Wilson Wilson, Katherine Henig and Keith Davidson.

Cllr Heather Liddle said: “I have been working with Changing Lives since I was first elected and came down and asked for wishlist of things they wanted to achieve and worked with them so they could get funding.

“Men who live here need ongoing activities they can engage in on site and one of the big things they wanted to do was create this conservation area, mainly because it backs onto Waldridge Fell.

“They can just step out of their flats and come here. It provides them with a distraction and keeps them occupied.”

She added: “It also makes The Fells more inviting, so people in the local community can come down and have a look around and find out more about what goes on here behind the hedges – breaking down barriers between residents and the community.

“It is important the people who live here are welcomed and accepted as residents in the community at large.”

Changing Lives service manager Amy Robinson said: “We have worked very hard to bring this about. The project was overseen by our repairs and maintenance man, Colin Powles.

“Thanks to go to residents, specially Ian, Brian and Craig who have worked tremendously hard to achieve what we have done.”

She added: “Thanks also go to Cllr Liddle, Chester-le-Street Area Action Partnership and Durham County Council for working in close partnership with us and funding the conservation area.”

Mr Powells said: “Everything see on site has been done by volunteers and donations with things made in workshop.

“We have created numerous habitats.

“I want the whole project to become sustainable so that everyone can come on every day do a little a bit .

“We have encouraged biodiversity and had had a lot of wildlife here.

“We’ve had owls hares, field mice a selection of birds. It has been fantastic.”