The Boathouse Youth is DELIGHTED to announce that we are bringing our provision to Fleetwood in the form of a brand new bespoke Youth Centre, right in the heart of the town.

The Fleetwood Youth Centre will be a purpose-built building providing a range of facilities and services that are tailor-made to enable young people to lead their best lives. It will follow the same model currently delivered in Blackpool, but provision will be bespoke to Fleetwood in response to local need and demand.

A modern and bespoke building will be constructed on the grounds of St. Nicholas Church (FY7 7DJ) and operated by The Boathouse Youth. This location is central to all of Fleetwood’s wards.

Frank Heald, a long term supporter of The BHY and Patron, has been the financial driving force behind this project and has committed the entire capital funding for the construction work, and a considerable amount towards the first five years of the Centre’s running costs.

Frank said ”The Boathouse Youth has been changing 1000’s of young people’s lives over the last 15 years in both Bloomfield (15 years) and Grange Park (7 years). The Boathouse Youth’s success is based upon a fully funded youth service, open 6 days a week, Mon to Fri evenings and all-day Saturday, all of which includes varied learning opportunities both within the Centre and outdoors. I am thrilled they are now coming to Fleetwood”.

Our success with this project would not be possible without you, Frank. On behalf of Young People, we thank you for your continued support, commitment and kindness.

The majority of the features are based on the ground floor with the first floor being primarily reserved for a Sports Hall and some storage / office space.

The facility will comprise the following: 

• A large first-floor hall space suitable for sports, performing arts and physical activity. 
• A number of adaptable spaces for creative arts, recreational activity and project delivery work such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or Young Leadership Training. 
• A recreational area currently being referred to as ‘The Base’ to boast an abundance of self-led activities such as pool tables, table-tennis, couches, televisions, games-consoles and a servery for hot/cold food. 
• A kitchen space suitable for meeting the requirements of our catering facility. 
• Detached storage facility adjacent to the Youth Centre. 
• Car parking for up to 25 vehicles including Electric Vehicle charging points.

Key Features:

• Located in the north of the Fylde Coast addressing a youth services gap.
• We will offer a universal service providing a wide range of educational and recreational activities to enable young people to lead their best lives. 
• The service provided will be entirely free of charge at the point of delivery. 
• Young people will use this building exclusively.
• Open a minimum of 4 hours per day, 5-days per week; all day during school holidays. 
• Between 200 – 400 young people visiting each week at peak. 
• More than 10 volunteers will be recruited to support. 
• An active partnership between local authority, charity sector and the private sector. 
• A sustainable revenue-funding model requiring minority contribution from local authority. 
• Open during the day to maximise use to other community groups.

”It’s about enabling young people to lead their best lives. It’s not just youth work, it’s proper youth work” – Laurance Hancock, CEO