Our Story

Ignite Penrith was started in 2011 by Carl Mimmack with support from the Church of England. As the work grew and the awareness of young people's needs became clearer, the need to find a dedicated central space became apparent. In 2016, The Gathering (previously a hugely popular coffee shop in Penrith) was repurposed by Ignite Penrith as a dedicated space for young people. This was after Ignite Penrith was generously offered free access to the premises by private donors. To secure this space longer-term, Ignite Penrith has a desire to become self-sufficient. A major milestone on our journey to achieve this was Ignite Penrith becoming a small charity in 2018. Going forward, this charity is committed to raising funds to support the youth work going on at The Gathering, but also the work facilitated by Ignite Penrith in the wider community.