About The Work Place
The Work Place is the realisation of a vision by Jane Ritchie MBE and the VOLT (Vocational Learning Trust) Charity, brought to life through the creativity, commitment, and expertise of The Work Place team. Operating as the trading arm of the charity, The Work Place is a non-profit organisation, delivering outstanding services while reinvesting surplus back into the community.
VOLT was established in 2005 by Jane Ritchie, following a generous inheritance from her cousin, Margery Freeman. With a professional background at Durham County Council and a lifelong passion for helping young people understand and access the world of work, Jane’s vision has shaped The Work Place into a thriving hub for learning, enterprise, and professional development.
Alongside exceptional conference and meeting facilities, The Work Place offers flexible office accommodation and is an established provider of training and development programmes. The building has been purpose-designed with environmental sustainability at its core, featuring solar PV panels and ground source heat pumps, creating a modern, energy-efficient venue.
Our conference and learning facilities include:
- A large, versatile Learning Zone
- A fully equipped Lecture Theatre
- Flexible meeting rooms and pods
- Exhibition space
- Breakout and social areas
Our community of organisations includes:
- Baltic Recruitment
- BritGrocer
- Durham Secondary Schools Centered Initial Teacher Training Programme (SCITT)
- Excelpoint
- Apex Venues
- PFC Holdings
- Occupational Health & Training Services
- Fairstone Financial
- DEN (Deaf Empowering Network)
- The Emotional Intelligence Company
- Wildon Estates
- Let’s Get Social
- Fleethub
With a strong commitment to professional excellence, sustainability, and community impact, The Work Place offers a unique environment where learning, business, and collaboration thrive
| Meet the team | |
|---|---|
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Sue WhiteStrategic Manager | |
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Angela WilkinsonBusiness Manager | Anne-Marie EllisonCentre Administrator (Learning) |
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Tracy HendersonCentre Administrator (Client Services & Support) | Anne RichardsonCentre Administrator (Client Services & Events) |
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Craig StewartPremises Staff | Dale WaltonPremises Staff |