Creating brighter futures with Blackburn Youth Zone

At Fagan & Whalley, our enthusiasm for contributing to the vibrant local community that has shaped our identity is no secret. We wholeheartedly embrace opportunities to give back and make a difference - which is why we’re incredibly proud of our Blackburn Youth Zone’s Patrons Network membership.

As we celebrate three years of partnership with the charity, we wanted to reflect on the strong bond we've formed, as well as the contributions we've made to uplifting young people in the community...

What is Blackburn Youth Zone?

Blackburn Youth Zone (BYZ) is a community-driven charity with a mission to provide vital support and care services for the young people of Blackburn and Darwen, enriching their lives and paving the way for a promising future.

Situated in the heart of Blackburn, the Youth Zone welcomes young individuals between the ages of 5 and 25, remaining open 7 days a week throughout the year. With up to 20 activities available for young people each evening, the charity positions itself as a comprehensive resource for youth, ensuring that all needs and interests are addressed.

Their impactful work revolves around four fundamental principles: social integration, health and well-being, aspirations, and skills and employment. By doing so, they engage with up to 1,000 young people on a weekly basis.

How have Fagan & Whalley been involved?

Joining forces when the community needed us the most

In October 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we joined the BYZ Patrons Network to assist the charity in reaching the most vulnerable young people and families at a time when the community needed support the most.

As the nation faced lockdowns, BYZ swiftly adapted their services to accommodate the needs of young people at home. They provided food parcel deliveries, virtual activities, and individualised support for the most vulnerable members of the community. As distribution and logistics specialists, we were honoured to get on board and support the charity practically during this time. 

Celebrating National Lorry Week

A year later, in November 2021, we were excited to host an official launch event for a new BYZ-branded vehicle joining our fleet.

We wanted to increase awareness and visibility of the important work the charity does, and established that showcasing them on the side of one of our trucks would be a fantastic way to do just that.

While the vehicle - a 12-tonne rigid DAF LF had been out on the roads making local deliveries for some time, we were eager to organise an official launch event. National Lorry Week gave us the perfect occasion to arrange this, and gave us the pleasure of meeting 80 young BYZ members. The event provided a great opportunity to talk with young people in our community about career opportunities in the transport and logistics industry.

We even made the local papers!

Proud recipients of the BYZ Queen’s Award

As a result of our previous contributions towards the charity, in December 2021, we were honoured to have been awarded the ‘BYZ Queen’s Award’ in recognition of our commitment to raising their visibility and fundraising for the cause.

“It was a lovely moment to be presented with the award while we were all gathered together at the event. The award, illustrated by one of BYZ’s young members, has taken pride of place in the lobby of Albion House, and has made quite a talking point for visitors to the site, who have left knowing all about Blackburn Youth Zone and the incredible work they do,” said Laura Fagan, F&W Systems Project Manager.

Joining forces with Father Christmas and the Easter Bunny…

We’re also proud to have collected and distributed activity boxes and gifts throughout the local community as part of the BYZ’s ‘Zone to Home’ project on numerous occasions. The project aims to get the charity’s resources and support directly to young people in their homes, on major occasions such as Easter and Christmas. 

They do this by putting together over 450 activity boxes to help keep children active and engaged throughout the school holidays. There were a variety of themes to suit the tastes of each young person, such as gardening boxes and arts and crafts boxes. 

BYZ enlisted our help to deliver these boxes to the homes of young people in our area, a highly rewarding and worthwhile project for us!

Providing continual support

"Our three-year collaboration with Blackburn Youth Zone has been outstanding, and we couldn't be more proud to back such an incredible cause. At Fagan & Whalley, our people-focused approach is something we're especially passionate about," says Brand & Marketing Executive Chris Corrigan.

"BYZ's efforts contribute to a more robust community for future generations, and we're excited to keep working with the organisation for many years to come!"

To find out more about how we give back to our vibrant local community, check out our In The Community pledge and initiatives here. Alternatively, if you’re looking for AA-grade BRCGS (BRC) Accredited Warehousing and Distribution services, give us a call on 01282 771983.