Youth community organisations in Fylde have received £52,000 in funding thanks to Fylde Council’s Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) Youth Activity Scheme.
Not-for-profit organisations operating in-person youth activities suffered greatly during the pandemic due to restrictions and closures limiting their ability to provide services to young people and fundraise. The ARG Youth Activity Scheme, launched in September 2021, gave these groups a vital boost, helping them continue their mission to empower young residents in a broad range of ways, from providing opportunities for social engagement and community integration to sports activities and mental health support.
Cllr Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde Council, said: “Many of the groups and organisations that offer so much to the young people of Fylde were unable to operate as normal during the pandemic, and their absence was sorely felt. It’s our honour to be able to support these wonderful local initiatives to bring support back to our youth.”
So far, £52,000 in grants have been awarded to eligible projects in Fylde:
- The Well Church, St Annes, received £8,000 to fund a new youth club for 8–14-year-olds.
- Park View 4U, Lytham, received £5,000 to provide weekly and holiday cycling activities for local youths.
- Fylde Rugby Community Foundation received £8,000 for a new girls’ rugby session and after school club.
- Streetwise, the award-winning youth community organisation, received £8,000 to help fund the extension of youth provision from 2 days to 4 days.
- Just Good Friends, the friendship support group with a mission to combat loneliness and social isolation, received £8,000 to fund a youth club for 9–18-year-olds with learning difficulties.
- The AFC Fylde Community Foundation charitable trust received £7,000 to establish and support an LGBTQ+ group in Kirkham.
- Freckleton Youth Club received £8,000 to help provide an extra day of activities.
The fund was available to qualifying not-for-profit organisations based in Fylde Borough with a proven history of delivering successful youth services, and who were able to present a new project or activity taking place at a secured and fully funded premises within Fylde providing a not-for-profit service for young people aged 9-18. Organisations were able to apply for a single one-off grant of up to £10,000 for new youth activity provision, including such projects as youth clubs, inclusive sports and recreational activities, health and mental wellbeing activities, and training and development programmes.
Phill Mills, Head of Community coaching at Fylde Rugby Community Foundation, said: “The funding provided from the ARG grant will enable us to grow girls’ rugby in the area which subsequently would serve as a pathway to a girls afterschool session at Fylde Rugby Club.
“There is a big divide in rugby as a sport between male and female participants, with the support of the grant we aim to close this gap and provide more sporting opportunities to girls in the community. We will be delivering rugby sessions in local high schools in Fylde to grow the participation rates which will feed into an afterschool club at Fylde Rugby Club.”
These ARG grants represent one strand of Fylde Council’s commitment to youth delivery schemes, alongside projects including the Fylde Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP). Established in March 2021 with funding from the Lancashire Police Crime Commissioner in response to increasing youth related anti-social behaviour, the CAP project has seen a tangible decrease in incidents of ASB. In the period September 2021 – November 2021, 457 incidents of ASB were recorded, a fall of 46% compared to the same period the previous year (841).
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