Hexham Community Partnership

What Hexham Community Partnership does

Hexham Community Partnership (HCP) is a non-profit development trust established circa 2006 in Hexham, Northumberland, serving residents, businesses and visitors of the Tyne Valley. The organization operates as a community-coordination hub, delivering free front-line services through No.28 Community House (established 2008), a visitor economy platform (Visit Hexham), a community cinema (Forum Cinema), a volunteer matching platform (Team Hexham), and a portfolio of major annual events including Spook Night, the Hexham Christmas Market, Sankta Lucia, Hexham Heritage Tours, Hidden Gardens, and Father Christmas at the Old Gaol. It also co-founded the West Northumberland Food Bank (2013) and the Hexham Communities Together crisis-response joint venture (March 2020), and participates in regional forums including the Hexham Hub, Hexham Cultural Network, Heritage Action Zone steering group, and West Northumberland VCS Alliance (which it chairs).

The business model is grant- and event-funded rather than transactional. Services at No.28 Community House are offered free to residents; revenue is generated from a combination of recurring core funding (approximately 80% from Hexham Town Council until 2026), grant income (North East Combined Authority, Awards for All, Visit Northumberland), visitor-economy income from Visit Hexham and Forum Cinema, and event revenue. HCP's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, and in May 2025 it launched an Online Community Calendar to broaden the discoverability of local workshops, classes, courses and events.

The strategic situation is terminal. In January 2025 the Town Council informed HCP that core funding would cease from April 2026, eliminating approximately 80% of core income. On 10 March 2026 the board announced that HCP is being wound up, with staff advised of possible formal redundancy, and the organization is now reviewing its assets, finances, and options for remaining activities. The partnership is closing despite ~20 years of continuous operation and a brand associated with Hexham's repeated ranking as one of the happiest places to live in the UK.

Name

Hexham Community Partnership

Legal name

Hexham Community Partnership

Website

https://hexhamcommunity.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hexham Community Partnership is a non-profit development trust serving Hexham and the Tyne Valley, operating community services, a visitor economy platform, a community cinema, a volunteer hub, and major local events. Announced winding up on 10 March 2026 after losing ~80% of core funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hexham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Town Council Core Funding: Core funding from Hexham Town Council, which has been the primary funder since inception nearly 20 years ago. Town council announced in January 2025 that funding will cease from April 2026. This represented approximately 80% of core funding.
2. Visitor Economy Income: Income generated from Visit Hexham platform and Forum Cinema operations, which are central to the town's success
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from major annual events including Spook Night, Hexham Christmas Market, Sankta Lucia, Hexham Heritage Tours, Hidden Gardens, and Father Christmas at the Old Gaol
4. Grant Funding: Grant applications and funding from North East Combined Authority, Awards for All, Visit Northumberland and other cultural or tourism sector funds as part of long-term move towards financial independence

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hexham Community Partnership is a non-profit development trust that delivers community services, manages town cultural assets, and coordinates community events for Hexham and surrounding Tyne Valley residents. Its core offerings include operating No. 28 Community House (free information, support, groups and activities), managing Visit Hexham and Forum Cinema, running the Team Hexham volunteer matching platform, and organizing major annual events such as Spook Night, the Hexham Christmas Market, and Heritage Tours.

Product overview

Hexham Community Partnership operates as a non-profit development trust offering a portfolio of community-focused products and services. The core offerings include Visit Hexham (visitor economy promotion), the Forum Cinema (cultural venue), Team Hexham Volunteer Hub (volunteer matching platform), No. 28 Community House (community support center), and the Hexham Online Community Calendar. Additionally, HCP organizes major community events such as Spook Night, Hexham Christmas Market, Sankta Lucia, Hexham Heritage Tours, Hidden Gardens, and the Christmas Windows Trail. These products work together to support economic development, community cohesion, and the visitor economy of Hexham and surrounding communities in the Tyne Valley.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visit Hexham A visitor economy platform owned and managed by HCP that promotes Hexham as a tourism destination, featuring the town's attractions, events, and hospitality businesses for visitors and tourists.
• Forum Cinema A community cinema venue owned and operated by HCP that serves as a central cultural asset for Hexham, providing film screenings to residents and visitors.
• Team Hexham Volunteer Hub An online volunteer matching platform created by HCP that connects volunteer opportunities from community groups and employers in Hexham with the skills and aspirations of individuals who have time to give.
• No. 28 Community House A community house in Hexham East, established in 2008 and managed by HCP, that provides free information, support, groups, and activities to local residents.
• Hexham Online Community Calendar An online calendar platform launched in May 2025 that enables organisers to share workshops, classes, courses, and events in Hexham, searchable by residents and visitors.
• Hexham Community Events A programme of major annual community events organised by HCP, including Spook Night, Hexham Christmas Market, Sankta Lucia, Hexham Heritage Tours, Hidden Gardens, Father Christmas at the Old Gaol, Hexham Fireworks, and the Christmas Windows Trail, designed to engage residents and drive the visitor economy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Regularly ranked one of the happiest places to live in the UK
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.

• Northumberland County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey regional partner collaborated with on establishing West Northumberland Food Bank in 2013 and joint venture Hexham Communities Together during Covid pandemic in March 2020.
• Visit NorthumberlandregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism partner working with HCP on visitor economy development and cultural promotion. HCP was pursuing new grants from Visit Northumberland as part of move towards financial independence.
• North East ScreenregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional screen industry partner collaborating on cultural initiatives in the North East.
• Northumberland National ParkregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner working with HCP on promoting Hexham's connection to the surrounding natural landscape and tourism.
• Hadrian's Wall PartnershipregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage partnership collaborating on promoting Hexham's historic market town connection to Hadrian's Wall.
• West Northumberland Children's CentresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in establishing West Northumberland Food Bank in 2013 serving the west of the county.
• AdaptminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Hexham Communities Together joint venture during Covid pandemic response for vulnerable and shielding residents.
• Hexham HubregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal coordination forum that HCP participates in for community planning and development.
• Hexham Cultural NetworkregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural coordination network that HCP chairs and actively participates in for arts and heritage promotion.
• Heritage Action Zone Steering GroupregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage preservation and development forum that HCP participates in for maintaining Hexham's historic character.
• West Northumberland VCS Alliance NetworkregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary and Community Sector alliance network that HCP chairs, coordinating across the VCS in west Northumberland.
• Churches and Supermarkets (Food Bank Partnership)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with local churches and supermarkets alongside individual volunteers to establish and operate West Northumberland Food Bank starting 2013.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Locality: National UK membership network for community-led organisations and community anchors. Comparable as HCP operates as a community anchor / development trust, a model Locality specifically supports and represents.
• Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE): National membership body for rural community development organisations across England. Comparable as an umbrella/network peer for rural community development trusts operating in market towns like Hexham.

Regional players

• Visit Northumberland: Regional tourism body covering Northumberland, of which HCP's Visit Hexham platform is essentially the local counterpart. Directly comparable as a tourism destination marketing organisation working in HCP's exact operating geography.
• Visit County Durham: Neighbouring regional destination management organisation in North East England, operating in a comparable rural/market-town tourism geography close to HCP's catchment.

Others

• Centre for Community Practice (CCP) at Birkbeck, University of London: Academic/practice centre focused on community organising, partnerships and community development in the UK. Comparable as an adjacent peer working on the theory, practice and sustainability of community partnership models like HCP's.
• Plunkett Foundation: UK charity supporting rural community businesses and community-owned enterprises. Comparable as an enabling/supporting infrastructure for the community-led organisation model that HCP exemplifies.

Direct peers

• Hadrian's Wall Partnership: Heritage-led partnership organisation promoting the Hadrian's Wall corridor — which Hexham sits within. Listed as one of HCP's core regional partners and directly comparable in mission around heritage tourism, community engagement and cross-sector partnership.
• NewcastleGateshead Initiative: Destination management and community-focused partnership organisation promoting NewcastleGateshead across tourism, economy and culture. Closely comparable to HCP in combining visitor economy promotion, community engagement and partnership-based delivery in the same North East England region.
• Northumberland Community Voluntary Action: County-level voluntary and community sector support body for Northumberland. Comparable to HCP in coordinating community groups, volunteering, and civic infrastructure across Northumberland.

Emerging players

• Heart of the City: City-based community/business partnership organisation with a comparable model of coordinating local stakeholders around community cohesion, economic development and city promotion.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/visithexham
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hexham-community-partnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hexham Community Partnership