A well-known Teesside charity has unveiled a major new chapter, with Middlesbrough Environment City rebranding to become Nine Yards.

After more than 30 years of working alongside communities across the Tees Valley, the charity has launched a new name and visual identity designed to better reflect the breadth of its work – from tackling food and fuel insecurity to supporting health and wellbeing, promoting active travel and helping communities respond to climate change.

While the organisation has a new name, its purpose remains firmly rooted in the work it has carried out for more than three decades - working alongside communities across the Tees Valley to help people live healthier, happier and more sustainable lives.

The rebrand comes at a time when communities across the Tees Valley region are facing a number of interconnected challenges – whether that be the rising cost of living, food insecurity, energy bills, health inequalities and the growing impact of climate change.

Nine Yards believes these challenges cannot be tackled in isolation.

Vicki Putson, CEO of Nine Yards, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our history as Middlesbrough Environment City and of the former Nature’s World site where we’re still based. For more than three decades, we’ve worked passionately to make a difference to people’s lives across the Tees Valley.

“During that time, we’ve grown, evolved and expanded our impact. We now support health and wellbeing, tackle poverty, strengthen communities and help people build better futures.

“We felt it was time for our name to reflect the full breadth of what we do, the passion behind our projects and the positive impact we’re creating every day.

“Nine Yards is a better reflection of who we are today, how we support communities and where we want to go in the future.”

The name Nine Yards reflects the charity’s approach to supporting people and communities.

The organisation takes a joined-up approach, looking at the whole person and the wider issues that can affect people’s lives rather than focusing on individual challenges in isolation. Whether someone needs help accessing affordable food, reducing their energy costs, improving their wellbeing, growing their own food or becoming more connected to their community, Nine Yards aims to provide practical support that can help create lasting change.

Vicki added: “The name Nine Yards captures how we work - we go the extra mile, we look at the whole picture and we provide wraparound support.

“We go the whole nine yards for the communities we serve.”

As Nine Yards, the organisation plans to build on its existing work, develop new partnerships and create further opportunities for communities across the region.

Vicki said: “What excites me most about our future as Nine Yards is the opportunity to reach even more people and create an even greater impact.

“The challenges facing communities are significant, but so is the potential for positive change. We see every day what happens when people are empowered, connected and supported.

The charity believes thriving communities are built when people have access to the support, opportunities and resources they need. Its work includes providing affordable food through its network of Eco Shops, delivering energy and affordable warmth advice, supporting community growing, providing active travel training and creating opportunities for people to connect with nature and improve their wellbeing.