Building on the success of NeST as a creative hub, the town's reputation for skilled craftspeople, the partnership with the French Guild of MasterCraftsmen the Compagnons du Devoir, Barnard Castle Vision is planning to develop a Guild House and live.work accommodation for professionals, apprentices and journeymen.

This is a pioneering project to nurture the next generation of skilled designer:makers. Our aim is to grow the town's creative community, keeping alive traditional and heritage skills, attract the best from elsewhere and invest in local talent. Teesdale has a long history of attracting writers and artists (Turner, Cotman, Dickens, Sir Walter Scott) and the town of Barnard Castle is well-known for its industrial innovation (from carpet-making to pharmaceuticals).

This is an ambitious project. We already have significant backing towards the capital costs, but we need to raise the money to run the new facility from March 2015. We are looking to raise £500,000 through charitable giving and donations.