Urgent Appeal – UK City Riots
The Prince’s Trust announces £2.5m fundraising
appeal in riot-torn communities
In response to
the recent disturbances in some of the UK’s urban communities, The
Prince’s Trust has announced plans to double its support for young
people across five of the areas hardest hit, including Manchester,
Birmingham and the London communities of Hackney, Tottenham and
Croydon.
The Prince’s Trust was planning to support around 2,500 young
people in these areas this year. We now aim to double that support
to 5,000 by expanding the places available on our programmes.
HRH visited Hackney, an area affected by the riots, and met
with Prince's Trust Young Ambassadors Laura Rennise and Gina Moffat
(pictured).
How can business support these communities?
The Trust is planning a £2.5 million
investment in these areas. As well as committing £1 million
from funds already raised, we are calling on the business community
to back a £1.5 million fundraising drive to raise the rest of the
cash. The money raised through this emergency appeal will help
young people into jobs, education and training - and create role
models for other disadvantaged young people in the future.
We want to expand our support in these areas in the coming weeks,
so young people who want to make changes in their lives have
positive options. To do this we need to secure the first £500,000
of this fundraising drive immediately and are calling on companies
and business leaders to speak to us as soon as possible about the
investment they are prepared to make.
Making an immediate change
This is an immediate opportunity for
businesses to invest in schemes which are proven to work. More than
three in four young people supported by Prince’s Trust programmes
move into work, education or training. We have the infrastructure
in place to scale up our programmes. We are asking for the funds to
do this straight away.
Every donation will make a difference. A
donation of £25,000 will help us reach an additional 25 young
people. We are calling on companies and business leaders to get
behind this campaign, pledging their financial support so that we
can start giving young people a positive alternative to violence
and criminality.
Please get in touch with us by calling Sarah
Winchester on 020 7543 1252 or emailing sarah.winchester@princes-trust.org.uk