Graham Stuart, Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, met the Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson MP, to discuss funding opportunities for the Cherry Tree Centre.
During his meeting with the Minister, Graham explained that the Cherry Tree Centre, which opened in 2018 and is located on the Swinemoor Estate in Beverley, provides a safe space for approximately 150 young people to drop in, meet others and receive vital support. This has made them a key asset in the effort to build a partnership between the Swinemoor community and police to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.
They do incredible work, even though there is not yet a permanent home for the Youth Club to operate from.
So far, the Centre has received planning permission from East Riding of Yorkshire Council for a permanent base and has received funding from sources including the National Lottery. Despite this positive progress, they remain approximately £85,000 short of the money they need to construct the portacabins, complete the groundwork and install other facilities required for it to operate effectively. Graham has advised Jo Ramsay, who is the manager of Cherry Tree Centre, on some sources of funding she could apply for and speaks to her regularly about how he can help her give the young people on Swinemoor the facilities they desperately need.
The Minister agreed that Youth Centres such as Cherry Tree play a vital role in reducing anti-social behaviour and are an important place for young people to learn, relax and feel safe. During the discussion, she highlighted the Government’s forthcoming Youth Futures Hubs programme and encouraged Graham to meet with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which is leading efforts to enhance youth services. Graham has requested a meeting with the Minister for Youth, Stephanie Peacock MP, to discuss potential sources of funding for this project and will continue to work with Jo to make her ambition a reality.
The Manager of Cherry Tree Centre, Jo Ramsay, commented: “The children on Swinemoor and beyond deserve the best possible start in life, and that is what we want to give them. That’s why I’m very grateful to Graham for being our passionate voice in Parliament as we work hard to move our Youth Club to a permanent home.”
Graham Stuart said: “The work Jo and the team at Cherry Tree Centre do to support young people is remarkable, and it is vital that they have a permanent location to provide this from. That’s why I arranged this meeting with the Minister to discuss how the Government may be able to offer financial support to this incredible project and I am grateful for her advice. I hope to meet the Minister for Youth, Stephanie Peacock MP, soon to make the case for her Department to help make Jo’s dream of a permanent home for this amazing Youth Club a reality.”
