Participation Works North West's Gannow Youth Café

Participation Works North West has been awarded grant funding from Gannow Big Local, who will work with Burnley Pendle & Rossendale Council For Voluntary Service to set up and deliver a Youth Café in the Gannow area.
(Front left-right): Linda Riley, Pamela Ryan, and Kath Airey of Gannow Big Local Steering Group; (back left-right) Director of Participation Works NW, Lynne Blackburn, and Gannow Big Locals Outreach Worker, Tracey Noon.(Front left-right): Linda Riley, Pamela Ryan, and Kath Airey of Gannow Big Local Steering Group; (back left-right) Director of Participation Works NW, Lynne Blackburn, and Gannow Big Locals Outreach Worker, Tracey Noon.
(Front left-right): Linda Riley, Pamela Ryan, and Kath Airey of Gannow Big Local Steering Group; (back left-right) Director of Participation Works NW, Lynne Blackburn, and Gannow Big Locals Outreach Worker, Tracey Noon.

Gannow Big Local, a community group awarded £1m in National Lottery funding to make improvements in their area, are tackling holiday hunger - a prominent issue - and are keen to set up a Youth Café to tackle the issue.

Many children and young people are missing out on healthy, fulfilling meals outside of the school term as the expense of feeding a family presents a great deal of trouble for parents, who often rely on unhealthy food or even food banks.

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In worst case scenarios parents regularly miss meals themselves during the school holidays, ushering in the idea of the Youth Café project, which was included in the Gannow Big Local Steering Group's three-year Community Plan.

Eileen Thompson, Chair of Gannow Big Local said: "We had lots of interest in setting up a Youth Café for the young people of Gannow. A couple of the reasons Participation Works North West were successful in their bid was that they included lots of partnership working and are very experienced.

"They know the area well and worked with some young people in Gannow during the summer holidays of 2016," she added. "It is hoped the Youth Café will make a huge difference to the young people of our area; helping to tackle holiday hunger whilst giving the young people something to do."

Lynne Blackburn, Director of Participation Works North West, said: "We have worked in Gannow and are very aware of some of the issues faced by young people, especially during school holidays. Thanks to Gannow Big Local for giving us this opportunity to help."

Gannow Big Local’s Youth Café will run during each school holiday from Easter to Christmas. With more details will follow, look out for posters, leaflets, and your Gannow Big Local newsletter.