West Lancashire Freemasons are proud to announce a grant of £60,000 to The Boathouse Youth, an award-winning charity working at the heart of Blackpool to give children and young people the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to thrive. Funding will help transform the lives of young people in some of Blackpool’s most deprived communities,
Founded in 2009 in a church hall, The Boathouse Youth (Registered Charity No. 1149320) is a charity built on belief in young people and has grown into Blackpool’s leading youth charity, working with approximately 1,000 children and young people aged 5 to 17 every year. Every single one of its programmes is completely free of charge to those who take part.
The charity works in communities where the need is acute. There are 8,000 children and young people currently living in poverty in Blackpool, and The Boathouse Youth is determined to break that cycle. Its mission is to equip young people with the skills, attributes and aspirations to enter employment and become confident, contributing members of society.
The charity’s programmes are wide-ranging, delivered by highly skilled professionals across three areas: centre-based youth work within their youth centres; detached and outreach work on the streets and in local schools; and activities and residential experiences. There is also a specialist Pathway Programme for children with additional or complex needs, providing a supportive and inclusive environment where every young person is made to feel welcome.
During school holidays, the charity provides between 250 and 300 places every day, packed with locally based activities. Annual residential experiences, such as summer camps, take young people out of their everyday environment and open up new horizons, from canal boating and camping to mountain biking and cave exploration. This positive engagement helps prevent young people from becoming involved in risk-taking and anti-social behaviour, whilst building their confidence, restoring their self-esteem and, above all, bringing happiness to their lives.
The Boathouse Youth has an ambitious vision for the future, it is currently delivering £2,200,000 capital investment in its centres across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast. The ambition is bold but clear: to ensure that no young person in Blackpool is more than a 20-minute walk from effective youth provision. The charity is also investing in the next generation of youth workers through a Level 3 Youth Support Worker Apprenticeship Programme, creating career-launching opportunities for local school-leavers.
A young person supported by The Boathouse Youth said: “Over the last 10 years, The Boathouse Youth has taught me so much. I’ve learnt about community, friendship and how to create a good life for myself. Most of the time, we just have a proper laugh, whether we are canal boating, camping or just at normal sessions. What the BHY does is care, by placing trusted adults into the spaces where young people want to be. That’s how I’ve become so mentally resilient. Basically, just come and get involved and see your life change.”
West Lancashire Freemasons are proud to play a part. Freemasonry has a long and proud tradition of investing in the communities where its members live and work. The grant of £60,000 to The Boathouse Youth reflects that commitment and a deep admiration for the extraordinary work the charity carries out every day on behalf of Blackpool’s young people.
Michael Tax, Assistant Provincial Grand Master for the Province of West Lancashire, said: “The Boathouse Youth is doing something truly remarkable. In a town where so many young people face real hardship, this charity gives them a safe place, skilled and caring adults, and the belief that their futures can be bright. West Lancashire Freemasons are immensely proud to support that work, and we hope this grant helps even more young people in Blackpool discover what they are capable of.”
West Lancashire Freemasons are committed to making a positive difference across their region, and this grant to The Boathouse Youth is one of a number of significant charitable investments being made in local communities.