Wolverhampton Youth Zone is an essential safe space for young people aged 8-18 to enjoy. Thanks to a recent grant from Enovert Community Trust, they’ve been able to secure the future of their thriving café. One thing that’s key about the café is they’ve continued giving the community free hot meals. Thanks to a £5,900 grant, it escapes closure and is able to pursue innovative ways to expand its services.
Wolverhampton Youth Zone now has close to 2,000 current members. It is an essential part of the community that sets the example by providing for the needs of local youth. In early 2023, the organization began providing free meals to its members. What it discovered was that, for many of these young people, these meals represent their only hot meal of the day. The café not only serves nutritious food but creates a welcoming environment for young people to gather and engage with each other.
Facilities manager at Wolverhampton Youth Zone Rob Smith said of ECT’s assistance, “We can’t thank you enough for being there.
“This essential upgrade means we can continue providing safe, nutritious meals to our young people – something we simply could not have done without Enovert’s help,” – Rob Smith.
That grant from ECT really is a big deal. It comes just after the community arts trust had funded a previous renovation of the poet’s café. Angela Haymonds, the ECT trust manager, pictured above, mentioned how crucial it is to keep the café open.
“Having previously supported Wolverhampton Youth Zone by part-funding the renovation of its café, the trust was very keen to make sure the café was able to operate as originally intended. Providing the grant for the fire suppression system will enable the café to stay open and continue to provide an extremely valuable service to the local community, which the trust is proud to be associated with,” – Angela Haymonds.
The funding from ECT has proven pivotal in ensuring that Wolverhampton Youth Zone can continue its mission to serve local youth. The café offers diners much more than tasty fare. It provides an intentional and safe space for young people to come together, developing community and resilience among its members.
