Blyth Valley Scouts awarded 5K bursary

NORTHUMBERLAND youngsters with a passion for outdoor adventure are set to benefit from enhanced resources after the county’s largest shopping centre announced the winner of its community bursary scheme.

Blyth Valley District Scouts, which provide challenge, adventure and life skills to over 600 young people living throughout Cramlington, Blyth and Seaton Valley, has been awarded £5000 worth of funding following the launch of Manor Walks Shopping and Leisure’s bursary scheme earlier this year.

Funded by Hammerson, the scheme aims to support organisations that undertake vital work in the communities in which the company operates. It was open to all Northumberland registered charities with a focus on children and young people, health or local regeneration of community infrastructures and facilities.

The funding will be used by Blyth Valley District Scouts to purchase new camping and sports equipment as well as helping with the maintenance of its buildings and to provide additional training for its leaders.

The much needed grant will also support the organisation as it looks to attract new members as well as recruiting new volunteers. Stu Bennett, Media Development Manager for Blyth Valley Scouts, said: “It’s fantastic that such an iconic and local business as Manor Walks has been able to support us in providing adventure and challenge to young people in Cramlington and the wider community"

“One of the greatest challenges that we face at the moment is finding more volunteers to plug the current gap. At present there are more than 33,000 children on waiting lists across the UK, so we aim to use this money wisely by not only upgrading our buildings, campsites and equipment but to also purchase promotional resources to recruit more adult volunteers to help change more young people’s lives for the better in the Northumberland community.”

Manor Walks’ general manager Bruno Coppola added: “The local community bursary offered a great opportunity for the county’s charities to win a serious amount of money. We are delighted to announce Blyth Valley District Scouts as our first beneficiary and we’re excited to be assisting them on a number of different projects as part of the bursary scheme. “The scouts offer all young people a real mix of activities designed to help them achieve their full physical, intellectual and social potential and we are confident that the funding we have provided will make a huge difference to their amazing work in supporting the county’s youngsters.”

With over 100 retailers including Northumberland’s only multiplex cinema and a great range of family restaurants as well as high street favourites and independent stores, Manor Walks Shopping and Leisure in Cramlington offers a huge amount of choice to suit a range of tastes. To keep up-to-date on Manor Walks’ events and offers visit the new Manor Walks website www.manorwalks.co.uk.

For more information on joining the adventure in Blyth Valley or if you would like to spare some time to help young people in your area visit www.blythvalleyscouts.org.uk or email info@blythvalleyscouts.org.uk.