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News & Media > Community Investment

27:04:2010

Donation will make a 'real difference' to young people

Residents at the Crawley Foyer, which trains and houses young people who would otherwise be homeless, will start a new qualification thanks to a cash donation by May Gurney.

The centre will offer its residents a new City & Guilds course after receiving £2,700 from the May Gurney Foundation.

The cash will enable Crawley Foyer staff to deliver the eight week training to around 10 residents aged 16 to 25 years, who are not currently employed or in education. The group will get the chance to learn new skills and boost their confidence. For many, it will be their first recognised qualification.

The May Gurney Foundation was set up last year and has set aside £300,000 to help charities and organisations across the UK get people back into work or education and increase their confidence. The Crawley Foyer is one of the first Sussex charities to receive funding from the Foundation.

Jane Bryan, deputy manager at Crawley Foyer, said: “The majority of our residents have been low achievers at school, with very few or no academic qualifications. For some, this will be the first formal qualification they have ever achieved.

“It wouldn’t be happening without May Gurney’s donation. We are extremely grateful for their support which will make a real difference to the lives of these young people.”

Janine Daynes, chair of the May Gurney Foundation, added: “We’re committed to giving back to the local communities in which we work.

“Crawley Foyer provides a safe and supportive home for young people who would otherwise be homeless. Their work to help vulnerable young residents on the road to employment or education is incredibly worthwhile, and one that makes a significant contribution to individual lives as well as the wider area.”

The donation to The Foyer is one of six handed out by May Gurney in Sussex this spring. Other projects to receive a share of funding totalling more than £25,000 are:

• Sussex Association for Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus - £5,000 to fund a new centre to help people into work
• Sussex Beacon (Brighton & Hove) - £4,800 to provide IT training to those living with HIV/AIDS
• AMAZE (Brighton & Hove) – £5,000 to provide information and support to parents of children living with disabilities and special needs
• Pathways to Health (Brighton & Hove) - £4,230 to fund volunteering opportunities at a community health project
• Fellowship of St Nicholas (East Sussex) - £3,500 for the St Nick’s Community Café project, to offer volunteering opportunities for young people, the long-term unemployed and those living with mental health distress.

Click here to read more about May Gurney's approach to supporting the communities in which it works.