Coast & Country celebrated its birthday by planting a time capsule to commemorate 15 years of serving residents in Redcar and Cleveland.
The time capsule was planted at Coast & Country’s flagship community training and resource centre, Westfield Farm in Dormanstown, a beautifully restored Grade II Listed building providing high quality advice, guidance, training and support that helps local people get back into work.
It contains cards handwritten by staff sharing memories from their lives 15 years ago, their favourite memory from working at Coast & County and their aspirations 15 years from now.
Jason Lowe, Head of Independent & Supported Living at Coast & Country, said: “Our team took a trip down memory lane and held a quiz that brought back many memories of popular culture of the time. 2002 was the year of the Queen’s Jubilee, when Will Young won Pop Idol and also my first year working for Coast & Country.
“I am proud to continue to be part of an organisation which puts in place so many initiatives to help the local community and delighted to contribute to the time capsule. There are 174 members of staff who joined Coast & Country at the very beginning and like me, still work here today. This time capsule celebrates all we have achieved together 15 years as a team.”
Deborah McManus, Head of ICT at Coast & Country also placed a photograph of Richy Bell in the time capsule, an employee of the Coast & Country family who sadly died in a motorcycle accident in 2015.
Deborah explained why including these photographs is important to the time capsule project: “In 15 years’ time when it is opened it is important for future Coast & Country employees and local people to look back on our history and understand that those who worked hard to serve the local community were real people with real stories, and by including a photograph of Richy it is our way of remembering them and all they achieved.
“Another of the most treasured items in the time capsule is a fundraising 5k Riverside running top remembering broadcaster and local hero ‘Voice of the Boro’ Ali Brownlee, and we are proud to have a symbol of his legacy encapsulated alongside other cherished memories the local community share.”
The time capsule also contained copies of local press publications, alongside the most recent edition of the Coast & Country magazine ‘Your Homes’.
Iain Sim Chief Executive said of Coast & Country’s birthday: “Our time capsule is a fantastic way to celebrate 15 years of the Coast & Country family who work together to help build a better future for people locally.
“The time capsule is a treasure-trove of reflections, remembrances and celebrations of the people who are at the heart of this wonderful community. We have looked back to 15 years of extraordinary growth and achievements, during this time £300 million was invested, with 17,068 new tenancies created and 1,124 houses built. I am delighted with all that has been achieved and I look back with great pride.”