Latest News
£10k for 10k
With a fundraising target of £10,000, fifty four members of staff from Beachcroft Solicitors will be running this year’s Bupa Great Manchester Run to help raise funds for OnSide. The Beachcroft runners will be pounding the streets with fellow team members Jerry Glover and Rob Carter (Chief and Deputy Chief Executive of OnSide) as well as other members of the OnSide team.
If you’d like support us in our fundraising efforts please click here.
The Mesnes Attraction
Planning permission for Wigan’s brand new, world class youth facility was approved this month - becoming OnSide’s first Youth Zone project funded solely by private sector money.
Local Councillor John Hilton, enthused "This Club will be the envy of every other town in the country!”
Adds sponsor and ambassador Martin Ainscough “Obviously we founder patrons are all delighted and the hard work starts here! The next challenge is to be open in Summer 2011. So lets get cracking !!”
Click here to read more.
Ex-911 singer Lee Brennan is new Carlisle Youth Zone ambassador
Carlisle-born Lee, who sang with band 911, grew up on the city’s Harraby and Currock estates. He has volunteered to work with local youngsters in the high-tech music centre, including a sound studio, which will be part of the wide range of facilities available at Carlisle Youth Zone.
Click here to read more.
Mahdlo chosen as nominated charity of the Oldham Business Awards 2010
“We are delighted that Mahdlo was chosen as the nominated charity of the Oldham Business Awards 2010 and grateful to everyone who helped raise over £3,000 for us on the night! This is a true reflection of the level of support we’re receiving from across the business community of Oldham. The new Youth Zone presents a wonderful opportunity for improvement that will change the lives of thousands of young people and impact on us all."
Will Lees Jones (Chairman, Mahdlo: Oldham Youth Zone)
Click here to find out more.
Building starts on Carlisle Youth Zone
The Carlisle Youth Zone will undergo an 11-month construction programme before its scheduled opening in February next year.
Local youngsters from the CYZ development group donned hard hats as they joined chairman David Allen and vice-chairman Peter Stybelski on site with workers from Kier Construction.
Carlisle-based band The Alleys, whose members are aged 12-15, played as JCBs moved onto the city centre site in Victoria Place.
The youth base will have 1,050 sq m of floorspace and will include a gym, climbing wall and boxing ring as well as IT facilities, dance and performing arts activities along with a sound studio.
Click here to find out more.
Great news for Wigan!
Wigan has been given the opportunity of a £7m Youth Zone project - thanks to the support of local business leaders Martin Ainscough, Bill Ainscough and Dave Whelan. This month, Martin Ainscough told the Wigan Observer “It is for the people of Wigan, run by the people of Wigan ... and it is now time for people to get themselves fully behind it so that Wigan doesn’t end up missing out on this fantastic opportunity...
“I’m a hard-headed businessman and I know wonderful value for the people of Wigan when I see it ... And the Boys and Girls’ Club is just that!
Click here Read the full article (courtesy of the Wigan Observer 09/02/10)
Jerry Glover: Leading OnSide forward
Jeremy Glover MBE starts in his full time role as Chief Executive of OnSide. He now leads the team that has been recruited to replicate the success of the renowned Bolton Lads and Girls Club across the North West region (in Oldham, Blackburn, Manchester, Wigan and Carlisle).
Explains Jerry “All our new Youth Zones will provide world class facilities for young people across the Northwest giving them the chance to enjoy their leisure time in a safe and nurturing environment. Our challenge now is to fast-track what has taken 120 years to achieve in Bolton and have it in place within next 12 months!”
Carlisle Youth Zone board announces new Chairman
David Allen - owner of David Allen & Co Chartered Accountants and former Carlisle Utd Chief Executive joins the youth zone team. David is responsible for engaging support from the local business communities prior to its opening early next year, he comments,
“I consider it an honour to have been given this wonderful opportunity to make a difference for the young people of Carlisle. It is not a small job, but a very worthwhile challenge.”
Eight ‘Tough Guys’ sweat it out to raise £2,000 for OnSide
On 31st January, Manchester-based personal trainer Lisa Foley – along with a bunch of her tough buddies (Phil, Dave, Jon, Wilson, Mike, Janek and Helen) took the ‘Tough Guy’ challenge in aid of OnSide. Tough Guy is the world’s most demanding one-day survival-training ordeal that pushes the mind, body and spirit to their very limits… The good news is, they made it! Even better news is they’re near to raising £2,000 for OnSide.
If you’d like to help them raise more, please contact:
Rachel.Jones@onsidenorthwest.org
Supporting investment in young people’s futures
OnSide is delighted to welcome Rachel Jones as Private Sector Development Manager who joins the charity from Barnardos where she worked as Senior Account Manager. Rachel is supporting all the Youth Zone boards with their fundraising endeavours and can be contacted on:
Rachel.Jones@onsidenorthwest.org
Also joining the team this month is Helen Bond who brings expertise in fundraising and relationship management to the charity. Helen has responsibility for securing Trust and Foundation revenue as well as developing strategic regional partnerships that will deliver targeted services and projects to young people and vulnerable adults. She will also support and advise the private sector led Boards on charity governance.
Helen.Bond@onsidenorthwest.org
Bolton’s got talent!
Millie and Hope Katana from Bolton Lads and Girls club were thrilled to receive a charity auction prize to record their own song in Manchester’s famous Blueprint studios.
The 14-year-old twins, both regulars at the Club, enjoyed a taste of the highlife as they recorded their first single under the watchful eye of renowned producer Phil Critchlow. Their adventure was all thanks to kindhearted Bolton businessman Brandon Pilling, who gave the girls the gift of studio time after he heard them sing at a charity event hosted by the Club.
Click here to see the video. Remember – you heard them here first
Oldham teenager has grand designs
Afrah Qureshi was so inspired by the professional architects she worked with (as part of Oldham Youth Zone’s Young People’s Development Group), she is now studying for a degree in architecture at Manchester University.
Afrah, who met the Prime Minister earlier this year in recognition of her work to help secure the myplace funding, said:
"Being on the group has given me so much confidence and I would never have taken to my studies the way I have without the invaluable experience I got from working with top architects.”
Click here for full story
A Giant LEAP for … Bolton Lads and Girls!
LEAP is a collaborative book project from the Bolton Lads and Girls Club with MA Photography students from the University of Bolton.
University students worked with young people from the club as part of an innovative initiative that incorporated mentoring, education, the arts and enterprise.
The 80-page book of the LEAP project, with poetry by Ian McMillan, is available for only £9.99 – all proceeds go directly to the club to help with running costs.
http://www.theleapproject.co.uk/
The NWDA is OnSide!
Chairman and Founder of OnSide North West Bill Holroyd shares the charity’s vision and explains how the funding and support received from the North West Regional Development Agency will help change the lives of thousands of young people across the North West.
Click here to view the video
Bolton joins the national stampede to stamp out bullying
The region’s Mayors join the Bolton Lads and Girls Club's stampede in National Anti Bullying Week.
The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councilor Alison Firth joined Mayors from across the region at the Bolton Lads and Girls Club (BLGC) where they were given tours by Young Ambassadors before learning more about OnSide and how the club is the inspiration for five more 21st Century Youth Zones being developed across the North West.
The Mayors are pictured at the club with some of the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation’s anti bullying elephants who were taking time out from their national art exhibition ‘An Elephant in the Room’ at the Saatchi Gallery London (from November – December 2009.)
Providing a voice for Blackburn’s young people
Thanks to the input and boundless enthusiasm from local marketing agency Workhouse, Blackburn’s Young People’s Development Group have been working in state-of-the-art studios along-side some of the region’s most experienced and cutting edge marketing and design teams.
Benefiting from the wisdom of their creative mentors, the YPDG has brainstormed and developed ideas for the planning and design of the £5million Blackburn Youth Zone, which will have a football pitch on the roof, a climbing wall and dance studio.
Next month the group will reveal the BYZ’s new logo and brand.
MBF National Conference:
Jerry Glover explains how mentoring turns lives around
Jerry Glover MBE (Chief Executive Bolton Lads and Girls Club and OnSide) was invited to speak at the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation’s national conference along side Angela Smith (Minister for the Third Sector), David Burrowes (Shadow Minister for Justice) and Anthony Hughes (Deputy Director of Activities and Engagement Division, DCSF).
Angela Smith told delegates: "I’ve seen the difference mentors and befrienders make within communities ... it helps people in so many different ways and really can turn lives around.”
Adds Jerry “We’re very proud of the award-winning mentoring programme we run at BLGC and look forward to rolling out similar projects in Carlisle, Oldham, Blackburn, Manchester and Wigan.
Click here to read the conference feature in Sec Ed Digital (12th November 2009)
One of the finest occassions in Oldham's History
The first to see the plans . . . From left, Youth Mayor Mohammed Adil, Jeremy Glover, Chief Executive of OnSide, the Mayor, Councillor Jim McArdle; William Lees-Jones, Project Chairman, Norman Stoller, Architect Mark Serventi and Adam Poyner, Project Manager from OnSide.
Renowned NW businessman Norman Stoller, OBE was one of the first to see the plans to the new Oldham Youth Zone.
“I am absolutely delighted to see these first pictures of something that - when it is opened - it is going to be one of the finest occasions in Oldham’s history. It is the start of great things for Oldham’s youth.”
BOLTON LADS AND GIRLS CLUB hosts the NW Myplace Young People’s Conference
Young people from across the region shared ideas at this one day event. For some, it was the first time they’d seen a building on the same scale as the ones they are developing themselves.
“It’s been a great day which has given us the opportunity to voice our opinions on what young people need to help get them off the streets and into a safe environment" (Carlisle).
After a series of hands-on workshops exploring key issues such as transport, design, managing money and managing people, the young people enjoyed some activities on offer including boxing, climbing, dance, arts, crafts, archery and football.
MAHDLO: Turning Oldham on its head
Brand expert and iconic graphic designer Rob Andrews worked with the Oldham Young Peoples’ Development Group to help them choose a name and develop a brand for their Youth Zone. The final decision was between ‘The Edge’ and MAHDLO (Oldham spelt backwards) … and after a vote on Facebook – ‘MAHLDO’ was born...
The design is a new take on the stencil concept and is instantly recognisable.
Explains Nazma (Chair of Oldham’s YPDG) … “It’s an unusual word that can mean anything we want it to! We discussed our hometown and decided that diversity was one of the best things about it … although we would really like it to be a bit friendlier and have a better reputation. So we want our brand to be simple but compelling … it’s a visual language and a way of writing things that is uniquely ours. Its everything you expect from Oldham, turned on its head!”
Adds Rob Andrews “ The name suits them; they confound any negative expectations that people might have about teenage kids. In a town that has things wrong with it, they are everything that is right.”
Sir Chris Bonington agrees to be President of the Carlisle Youth Zone project
The area’s most influential business leaders and civic representatives attended a lunchtime business launch for the Carlisle Youth Zone at Carlisle Football Club. The main sponsors, Brian Scowcroft and Andrew Tinkler were among the many business leaders attending the event.
Sir Chris Bonington particularly commended the intended involvement of young people in the design and running of the project, and also the use of adult volunteers and mentors.
Onside successful with 3 more myplace bids - £5 million each for Oldham, Blackburn and Manchester.
Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children and Young People announced the 41 successful myplace standard track projects to be awarded a share of £180 million. These include the three OnSide projects for Oldham, Blackburn and Manchester.
The OnSide Team accompanied young people from Blackburn, as one of the 8 projects to be invited to attend the youth-led launch event at Hoxton Hall in Hackney, a youth arts centre and one of the successful projects.
Beverley Hughes said, “It’s an exciting time to be growing up in this country – this unprecedented investment will fund a new generation of places for young people to go with exciting activities on offer, like film-making and music recording.”
Sir Steve Redgrave CBE, a champion of the myplace programme, said:
“Today represents a landmark day for young people. It is an investment in their potential and in their future. myplace is responding to what young people say they want and I’m really proud to be part of an initiative that puts young people at the centre of everything. They want places to go and things to do. All over the country myplace centres will be hubs for a wide range of exciting, positive and challenging activities – whether it is sport, art, culture or simply a place to be with other like minded people. They have the potential to be transformational both for the young people that use them and for the way we value the contribution that our young people can make. I can’t wait for the day when the first centres open their doors”.
Jeremy Glover, Chief Executive OnSide Northwest, said:
“This is absolutely fantastic news for young people in Oldham, Blackburn and Manchester. Securing myplace funding of £5 million for each project is just awesome. There are formidable local partnerships in place and I’m confident that we will now go on and build three of the best new youth centres in the country, to join our Carlisle project. It is exactly what the young people asked for and exactly what they deserve.”
The Sorrell Foundation – an organisation that inspires creativity in young people - will work with 15 of the 41 standard track project teams to make sure the proposed building design responds fully to the needs and aspirations of young people.
OnSide are delighted that Oldham has been selected to be one of the projects supported by the Sorrell Foundation.
Sir John Sorrell said:
“The Sorrell Foundation is delighted to be involved in the myplace programme. This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to work with great designers to help create a new generation of world class youth facilities.”
Onside Successful In £4,980,234 Bid For Carlisle Youth Zone.
Announced on November 28th, a myplace grant of £4,980,234 has been awarded to OnSide North West to develop the Youth Zone project in Carlisle city centre.
The myplace programme is funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and delivered by the Big Lottery Fund. The Carlisle Youth Zone is one of 21 projects awarded fast-track grants to fund world-class projects across England that will create safe places for young people to go, where they can get involved in a wide range of exciting activities and get information and advice from people they trust.
Jeremy Glover, Chief Executive OnSide Northwest, said:
“This is absolutely fantastic news for young people in Carlisle. Securing myplace funding of close to £5 million is just awesome. There is a formidable local partnership in place and I’m confident that we will now go on and build one of the best new youth centres in the country. It is exactly what the young people of Carlisle asked for and exactly what they deserve.”
Ed Balls, Children and Young People’s Secretary, said:
“The vast majority of young people are good citizens, play by the rules and just want better things to do and places to go after school and at the weekend rather than hanging around in the street or in the local park. They enjoy getting involved in exciting projects such as the Carlisle Youth Zone, so I hope that this scheme will help change the way communities view our young people.
“The Carlisle Youth Zone will transform positive activities for young people who will be able to decide what kind of facilities they want, and when they want them, such as on Friday and Saturday nights.”
“In the Children’s Plan we said we want all young people to have the best opportunities whatever their circumstances and myplace will give young people across the country a chance to enjoy new experiences, learn new skills and become a valued member of their own community.”
Helen Bullough, Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for the North West, said:
“This project will bring real improvements and new opportunities for young people in Carlisle and surrounding areas. With young people playing a real part in how the project is run, they will be able to strengthen their talents, improve their confidence and take pride in what they do. It is fantastic news for young people.”