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Passionate about people, passionate about places - Nicola Dexter Director
Contact Me
Nicola’s ‘can do’ approach to working with communities and residents is great. Having worked with Nicola on projects in Spennymoor and Shildon, Inside Outside CIC has helped me to get local people actively involved in developing and delivering practical improvements for their communities. Michael Fishwick - Community Development Worker at Livin Housing
Nicola is a highly motivated, professional and dependable person who has a huge passion for all that she does. I would highly recommend working in partnership with Inside Outside and contacting them to discuss your ideas and visions. I am confident Inside Outside will support you in delivering your objectives and making your dreams come true. Mark Williams MSc FDAP Project Manager - Changing Lives
About me
I have lived in Bishop Middleham for almost 35 years, happily married to Stuart for 17 years and have 4 wonderful children. I have enjoyed setting up and supporting various committees and groups during this time. I am a keen advocate for community development and enjoy the challenge of special projects and events. I worked at The Cornforth Partnership for 6 years before setting up Inside Outside.
Inside Outside
I am the owner and Managing Director of Inside Outside Community Development CIC.
I set up Inside Outside in 2016 so that I could make a greater difference to local people in my working practice. I am a qualified Informal & Community Education Worker, who specialised for many years in horticulture in Youth Work. In 2015 I qualified as an Adult Learning Tutor so that I could teach adult learning sessions in the community.
I have dedicated my adult life to supporting individuals, both young and old, to recognise and reach their potential, to establishing & setting up community groups as well as working and volunteering in the community for the greater benefit.
Inside Outside Community Development CIC is a not-for-profit business that focuses on Community Development projects, Horticulture with community groups for the benefit of their local community including In Bloom, the John Muir Award and textile courses and workshops such as pattern drafting, sewing classes and rug making using both modern and traditional techniques.
It is always our intention to provide a great environment for learning and sharing, to provide an opportunity to mingle with other folk, sharing memories and creating new ones. Sessions are generally informal, social and friendly although when teaching there is an expectation for all to allow others to learn.
The Cornforth Partnership
I was lead youth worker on a number of projects delivered locally, was an adult learning tutor who wrote numerous courses that included: Cooking with Eggs and Looking after Hens that were both accredited with the Open College Network. Other courses included Garden Dr, Gifts from the Heart, Proggy – traditional rug making technique, a variety of craft sessions and lots of gardening activities and workshops. I also worked briefly on the Social Norms project in schools across County Durham. It was here that my love for In Bloom developed – taking a group to Silver in the first year.
Parish Council
I have been a Parish Councillor since 2016 and vice chair since 2017. I am very proud to be a Councillor for Bishop Middleham and love working with the team, pulling together to conserve our past and build an amazing future. My passion lies with Special Projects. I have organised various bulb planting events with members of the public to enhance the aesthetics of the village and to bring a smile to the faces of those who take enjoyment from seeing the flowers dancing in the breeze. I am currently busy working with the children and young people in the village on a skate park idea they brought to the Council in 2016.
Board representative for Bishop Middleham at the Area Action Partnership (AAP)
I have been the representative for Bishop Middleham on the AAP since 2016 and have enjoyed representing residents, getting to know them and understanding their views. I have also enjoyed raising the profile of the AAP in Bishop Middleham and making links with potential partner agencies in the area. I am an active advocate of the AAP and sit on various panels such as the Task & Finish groups where and when appropriate.
Volunteer for Bishop Middleham Past & Present
For my sins, I offered to help with a Bishop Middleham Past & Present project, loved the team so much I have stayed, and we are delivering a Past & Present Memory Day II in 2018. I am now vice chair of this group who have worked so hard to gather, preserve and present historical documents and photographs about Bishop Middleham and its residents.
Castle Lake Conservation Group
I am a Trustee for Castle Lake Conservation Group, fighting for the protection of the Castle Lake site at Bishop Middleham whilst promoting education and conservation. We have recently, 2018, successfully registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, CIO and are in the process of developing a suite of information sheets and a series of public events.
Northumbria In Bloom trainee judge
I am in the second year of a traineeship with Northumbria in Bloom. My love of all things horticultural and working with community groups to clean and green their environments led me to apply for this voluntary position. I have learnt so much from the NiB team already and have made some fabulous friends who have so much gardening knowledge and experience to share.
Allotment
I am kept busy in my spare time with my new allotment. I have a small brood of 7 hens who help with the weeding and sometime beat me to the harvesting. This year I will be growing lots of veg in the brassica family, onions, potatoes, rhubarb and raspberries. I have created and planted a critters corner that will remain relatively undisturbed for the pollinating insects.