Crowds gather to celebrate Four Fantastic Years of Blackburn Youth Zone

Over 100 business leaders, councillors, parents, young people and supporters of the Youth Zone gathered on Tuesday 12 July 2016 to celebrate four unforgettable years of Blackburn Youth Zone and to find out how the Youth Zone is changing the lives of the borough’s young people.

Young people who have benefited from attending the Youth Zone provided guests with tours of the three storey building before guests were seated to learn more about the impact Blackburn Youth Zone has had on thousands of local young people.

Guests heard from chairman RT Hon Jack Straw and vice chairman Andrew Graham MBE, before hearing from special guest John Roberts, founder and chief executive of AO.com, who shared his passion for Youth Zones and gave insights into his industry success.

John Roberts has been an avid supporter of Youth Zone’s for many years with AO’s Smile Foundation, cofounding an employability scheme with Accenture called ‘Get a Job’. This aims to help young people get into employment, education and training.

The celebrations ended on a high with young people and guests releasing 100 orange balloons into the air.

Jack Straw said: “We’re four already! It scarcely seems possible. But in a few short years Blackburn Youth Zone has gone from being just a gleam in the eye, to the fundamentally important centre for young people of the Borough it is today.

"It’s an iconic building, for sure. But it’s much more than that – it’s the means by which thousands of youngsters in the Borough, of every background, are able to have fun, make friends, and open up their life chances. It’s great. Happy Birthday, Youth Zone.”

John Roberts, who is also an Onside Trustee, said: “After only four years and it is now difficult to imagine what the young people would be doing without Blackburn Youth Zone.

"The community unity, cohesion and life changing opportunities that are created as a result of its being is something that everyone connected with the Youth Zone should be very proud of helping to achieve. I never cease to be humbled by all involved and just quite what young people can achieve when people believe in them and give them the chance and platform to be amazing.”