By £1 million boost for new Grimsby Youth Zone project
A Grimsby Youth Zone project has been given a huge boost with a £1 million donation from renewable energy provider Ørsted.
Ørsted has joined forces with national youth charity OnSide and will invest £1 million in a Youth Zone that will support thousands of young people in Grimsby, as part of the town’s ambitious regeneration plans.
The Grimsby Youth Zone will join a growing network of similar facilities – state-of-the art, purpose-built youth centres designed to inspire and support young people – already developed by OnSide in 14 areas nationwide.
Ørsted will work with OnSide and local project partners to provide funding over five years.
Grimsby Youth Zone will open 7 days a week and be a safe space for young people to go in their leisure time, providing inspirational opportunities and a listening ear from trained youth workers.
Ørsted’s £1 million donation will help give young people a choice of more than 20 activities to enjoy every day, including indoor climbing, sports, arts, drama, music, media, cooking and more.
It will also support the Youth Zone’s Employability and Enterprise Programme, which will see specialist youth workers and partners support young people who are not in education, employment or training to gain the confidence, skills and experience they need for the future.
Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said: “This donation will be of great benefit to the people of Grimsby, and a good example of a company investing in the future not just of the organisation itself but of the community which it has become such a vital part of.”
Once open, the Youth Zone will create more than 50 jobs and provide a range of volunteering opportunities for local people.
The funds have been committed by Ørsted as the company brings to fruition the world-leading offshore wind farm projects, Hornsea One and Hornsea Two. The construction and operation of both wind farms has been led from Ørsted’s East Coast Hub in Grimsby.
With partial funding from the Greater Grimsby Town Deal, managed by North East Lincolnshire Council, the Grade II listed West Haven Maltings on Garth Lane will undergo a complete transformation and will open to young people two years’ time.
The announcement also saw the launch of Ørsted’s latest video, . The short film showcases local people who are proud to live and work in the area and who are also seeing the difference that renewable energy is making in the town of Grimsby. You can watch the video here:
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