Susan Durant | Local Hero

Susan Durant is a councillor for Thorne and Moorends, but was nominated for a Depictions of DN along with her fantastic team of Volunteers for her work during the pandemic with the charity “Moorends Miners Welfare & Community Development Centre”.

Susan was nominated by Sally Lockey. Sally said in her nomination “Susan and the amazing team of volunteers have been working delivering over 7000 food parcels throughout the pandemic. The food parcels have been done through the charity ‘Moorends Miners Welfare & Community Development Centre’ which Susan manages.”

When chatting to Susan about her nomination, she expressed how much it felt like a team effort to package and deliver the food parcels. Susan said, “The volunteers are the real heroes as without their commitment we could not have provided the support that we have to our local communities”.

Alongside providing food parcels for the community, Susan explained how herself and the team packaged fun themed activities and treats to further spread the joy during a difficult time for the community. Susan said “We also delivered activity packs, put Easter eggs in food parcels and for vulnerable pensioners delivered cupcakes, cookies, and roses on Valentine’s Day with special festive hampers at Christmas with cards made by the schools”

Susan expressed how she could recognise the importance of being nominated for a Depictions of DN to highlight the hard work achieved by the team of volunteers. Susan said “It's about showing respect to the volunteers because I have to say, without them, it wouldn't have happened.”

“It’s about everybody coming together to try and help as much as we can.”

Susan runs a Lunch Club for the community and we visited them and shared the Depictions of DN film with them during our Depictions of DN on Tour. It was fantastic to be able to share the film with the team and celebrate their hard work during the pandemic.

Thank you for all the work you did to support your community in Thorne & Moorends during the pandemic and what you continue to do, Susan! You and your team of volunteers really are a local heroes.

To find out more about Susan’s Lunch Club, have a look at their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/MMWCDC

Our Top Local Heroes have taken part in a film shoot with artist James Lockey as a way to profile their work and celebrate their achievements. Along with a beautiful film score composed by Hayley Youell, the film was featured in the 2021 DN Festival of Light.

Watch the Depictions of DN Film by James Lockey here:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyzO1E-FF6Y