The Lyons Trust has pledged its support to Warrington’s young people by becoming the latest Founder Patron of the charity Warrington Youth Zone.

By becoming a Founder Patron, The Lyons Trust will support Warrington Youth Zone to open with a wide range of exciting and engaging activities and services for young people to enjoy. Set to open in spring 2022, the state-of-the-art Youth Zone will provide a safe and inspiring place for thousands of young people to discover their talents and develop their skills.

The Lyons Trust supports organisations that provide opportunities for young people to raise their aspirations and realise their full potential.

By becoming a Founder Patron, The Lyons Trust will support the Youth Zone’s annual running costs, for the next four years. Ensuring young people have access to new and exciting opportunities as well as targeted support for those facing a range of challenging situation.

Currently under construction, Warrington Youth Zone is a brand-new youth charity which will be open to young people aged 7-19 and up to 25 for those with additional needs. The Youth Zone will build on a success and legacy of Warrington Youth Club which was established in 1930.

Warrington Youth Zone aims to raise the aspirations, enhance prospects and improve health and wellbeing for young people in Warrington, by providing affordable access to a wide range of activities including sports, arts, music, media, dance, drama, mentoring and much more.

The Youth Zone also has a dedicated enterprise and employability suite, which aims to support young people by equipping them with skills for the future.

Caroline Lyons, Chair of The Lyons Trust said: “We think that Warrington Youth Zone is a fabulous idea and that it will provide much needed support to many young people in Warrington, supporting them to reach their full potential. We know that supporting the ongoing running cost is critical in the success of the youth zone and we are delighted to be able to help”. 

Warrington Youth Zone is being developed by the national charity OnSide in partnership with Warrington Borough Council and the local business community. It will join a network of state-of-the-art Youth Zones with locations in Bolton, Blackburn, Carlisle, Wigan, Manchester, Oldham, Wolverhampton, Wirral, Chorley, Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Croydon and East Manchester.

Dave McNicholl, Chief Executive at Warrington Youth Zone said: “As a charity, the Youth Zone relies heavily on donations to help us achieve our ambitions for young people. To have The Lyons Trust join our family of Founder Patrons is incredible and we really do appreciate their support which will, in turn, allow us to support many thousands of young people. This fantastic commitment takes us one step closer to creating a fantastic facility for young people. It is with great thanks to supporters like this that we are able to open with a range of amazing activities and service that support Warrington’s young people for generations to come.”