Garston Adventure Playground has been awarded a life-changing Youth Investment Fund grant to transform its services for young people in the area. The grant of £1,370,696.00 will renovate, build and extend its youth service offer with new heating systems, a kitchen extension, solar panels, fitness equipment and a refurbishment of its Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) pitch. It is very welcome news for young people, staff & volunteers at the playground who will benefit from this generous funding and means that Garston Adventure Playground will be able to support another 125 young people by the time the project has been completed in August 2024. This will transform health, wellbeing, skills, and opportunities for young people, providing a long-lasting resource that will deliver life-changing services that they need.

Young people supported by Garston Adventure Playground played a key role in developing this exciting new project. The charity worked with young people to discover wants and needs and how these could be achieved. Young people from the area also made a video to support the funding application alongside key project team partners including Susan Roberts at Five Children & Families Trust, Jon Newman of HCT Surveying and Dai Gwynne of G-Squared Architecture.

Welcoming the Youth Investment Fund grant, Carmel Moran Project Manager said: “This is a vital community facility that young people from the area need. It helps support development, aspirations and wellbeing and this grant will enable us to take a next step, greatly increasing our engagement levels whilst future proofing this resource for many generations to come.”

Young person’s quote: “I think the Venny getting the funding is amazing. It allows it to expand and give so many more young people opportunities and activities to get involved in. Keeping young people safe and engaging. I’m most excited to see the new inviting Venny that will allow us to grow in a better space and make so many new memories.”