Member Article

NE Youth celebrates 85th year with high profile ambassadors and Duke

LEADING youth development charity NE Youth is celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2020 with new high-profile ambassadors and a range of activities centred around the theme of ‘Healthy and Happy’ as it embarks on a quest to raise £85,000.

The newly elected police and crime commissioner for Northumbria Kim McGuinness is NE Youth’s latest new ambassador along with ex Sunderland FC star Gary Bennett.

Fully supported by NE Youth’s President, His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, NE Youth has set a target to raise £85,000 to invest in Micro Grants, Social Action Projects and staff and volunteer training to support its work with young people across the region.

It aims to achieve this with a range of Healthy and Happy themed charity challenges throughout 2020, including networking events, clay pigeon shoot, boxing dinner, Hadrian’s Wall walk, Great North Run and Swim, cocktail making fundraiser and the Kielder Run Bike Run challenge.

Kim was joined by Jon Niblo, CEO of NE Youth at Newcastle Quayside this week (18 December) with sparkly 10ft tall ‘85’ numbers designed by young people, that will tour around the North East at each of the charitable activities next year.

Jon Niblo said: “Over the last eight and half decades NE Youth has helped over 1 million young people. Healthy and Happy is our chosen campaign programme for 2020 as we celebrate our 85th anniversary! We hope that the range of activities we have scheduled throughout the year will help us to support even more young people.

“It’s a great honor to have Kim and Gary as our 85th anniversary ambassadors, Kim is the ‘people’s commissioner’ and is known and respected by many and Gary is footballing legend admired by many young people – a great role model and inspiration. We are truly excited to roll out our celebrations next year and look forward to having Kim and Gary help us shine a light on our charity.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said: “I’ve seen first-hand some of the incredible work NE Youth does to help improve the lives of young people throughout our region. They are dedicated to inspiring young minds to learn and develop, away from the chaos and problems of everyday life. I’m a firm believer that providing our young people with the right opportunities, as early as possible, can help steer them onto a path away from crime, and ultimately lead them onto a brighter future. I’m committed to championing this cause and the great work of NE Youth and am proud to be their ambassador for 2020.”

NE Youth is one of the North East’s leading youth development charity’s supporting young people in the region. Its vision is to make sure all young people have the opportunities they deserve, and to get involved in their communities, enjoy their lives and achieve their potential. NE Youth deliver this by providing a high-quality youth offer across the region through direct youth work services and by working with and supporting member network organisations working with young people.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robson Laidler .