Cat Smith Working for Lancaster and Fleetwood
Following the announcement that Girlguiding is set to close their activity centres for young girls, I wrote to their chief executive for answers and to offer to do what I could to save them, especially our local centre in Lancashire – Waddow Hall.
The Chief Executive informed me that they are in dire need of capital investment. Whilst Girlguiding is in receipt of funding from the DCMS Uniformed Youth Fund for which they are very grateful, it is restricted to tackling waiting lists for 11-18 year olds, and the activity centres themselves were not eligible for any funding from the Government’s Youth Investment Fund due to geographic restrictions.
Two years ago I piled pressure on the Government [VIDEO] to bring forward their long-delayed promise of a Youth Investment Fund, but I’m saddened that limitations of the fund mean that Girlguiding can’t put that money towards the centres.
Last year, the Government assured me that £15m was being put towards these groups and other non-military-uniformed youth services. I am aware though, that this sadly was on a backdrop of cuts of £400m to youth services announced by Rishi Sunak in 2021, and real-terms youth service funding cuts of two-thirds since 2010, which I fought against in my role as Shadow Minister for Youth Affairs.
Earlier this week I wrote to Lucy Frazer Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport asking for her intervention, and to directly engage with Girlguiding to save the activity centres.
I have also received letters from young girls who now face the prospect of losing out on transformative opportunities to build friendships, gain their confidence, learn valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their lives and communities.
So today, to support the campaign group Save Girlguiding’s Training and Activity Centres #SaveOurCentres campaign, I’m asking the government to do more, by specifically asking them to extend the Youth Investment Fund grants to include capital investment.
As an ambassador for Girlguiding and a former Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Ranger myself I know first hand how vital these activity centres are, having very fond memories of Waddow Hall. These experiences cannot be lost. The Government need to act now to extend the Youth Investment Fund and allow capital investment to #SaveOurCentres.
Related Links
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