Grimsby youth zone gets £1m boost from energy firm

Renewable energy provider Ørsted has announced it will invest £1m in a new youth zone for Grimsby that will support thousands of young people.

The Grimsby Youth Zone will join a growing network of youth zones – state-of-the art, purpose-built youth centres designed to inspire and support young people – already developed by the charity OnSide in 14 areas across the country.

It will be open seven days a week and engage with over 4,000 young people in its first year of operation.

Ørsted’s £1million donation will give young people a choice of over 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.

‘Ørsted has been based on the port in Grimsby for six years now,’ said Ørsted’s head of region uk, Duncan Clark.

‘With the recent completion of Hornsea One, now the world’s largest offshore wind farm, and with construction underway for Hornsea Two, we were keen to help the community realise a project that underlines our long-term commitment to the town and has a meaningful, long-term impact for the people living here.

‘The youth zone will bring hope and aspiration to the young people of Grimsby who will have so many new opportunities brought to them through this new venture. Our latest apprenticeship recruitment drive saw over 500 people in the area put their name forward for a chance to work in our green and dynamic industry which shows that there’s a passion and willingness for change, demonstrated by the area’s young people,’ added Mr Clark.

The leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson added: ‘This is a fantastic donation from Ørsted, a company which has really embedded itself in the fabric of the whole area since choosing to base themselves in Grimsby. The youth zone will mean so much to the young people of our towns. Delivering the Greater Grimsby Town Deal is a major part of our work, and it’s thanks to the dedication of people and organisations involved that we’ve reached this point. I’m delighted to be working with colleagues from across these organisations to bring about major changes for North East Lincolnshire and help to deliver a brighter future for our residents and businesses.’

Photo Credit – Ørsted (Supplied)