Charity SYA calls on businesses as it prepares for new era after year of growth
A youth charity is urging businesses to support its work as it delivers a growing number of activities for young people across Shropshire.
SYA - All About Youth has launched a new range of corporate sponsorship opportunities for 2025 and it hopes firms will aid its efforts to change the lives of young people.
The charity provides youth activities and support for community organisations who run their own groups all over Shropshire, helping nearly 10,000 young people to attend activities every week.
During 2024, a number of new clubs and groups were launched, including senior and junior youth clubs in Shifnal, along with three new groups in Shrewsbury aimed at a variety of different ages and needs.
Tuesday Time Out is a weekly social group for parents up to 25 and their young children, Tuesday Together is a social club for young people with SEND aged between 18 and 25, and Monday Meet Up is a fun drop-in session aimed at secondary school aged children.
Each of these groups meets at SYA’s new purpose-built base in Upton Lane, Shrewsbury, which opened in September 2024 thanks to a £1.5 million Youth Investment Fund grant.
Richard Parkes, chief executive of SYA, said: “It’s hard to believe that another year is over, and 2024 really has been an extraordinary year for us with so much happening.
“We are now working fully in our new building and staff have been busy getting out and about visiting clubs and planning for even more activities in the new year.
“Our new HQ in Shrewsbury is a fantastic facility and we are pleased to welcome other agencies and businesses who would like to use the meeting space for training or other events."
Claire Purcell, community engagement and fundraising manager, added: “The support of our business community is vital in helping us deliver activities which genuinely can change the lives of young people here in Shropshire, and we would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the past year.
“In particular, we thank the businesses who have sponsored the new building: Penguin MEP, Fiveways Insurance Group, Morris & Co, West Bromwich Building Society, CQS Solutions and DecoStitch. Their support really is much appreciated.
“We have also launched a variety of new corporate sponsorship packages, which range in value and commitment but all provide essential financial support to enable us to continue our work.
“We are always focused on the future and how we can increase our fundraising efforts.
"We recently issued a plea for people to sign up to the ‘easyfundraising’ scheme that converts their purchases into charitable donations.
"It is completely free and easy to use, with over 8,000 retailers registered, including Currys, Screwfix, The Train Line and Booking.com, so it is ideal for businesses when booking travel or purchasing equipment.”
For more about the work carried out by SYA, visit https://www.sya.org.uk/
