Pendle YES Hub celebrates after receiving National Lottery funding to support mental wellbeing in Nelson

Pendle YES Hub is celebrating a significant milestone as it receives National Lottery funding to expand its vital mental wellbeing services for young people in Nelson.

The local community group, established in 2021 by Active Lancashire in partnership with Pendle Council, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and Positive Action in the Community (PAC), aims to empower 16-24-year-olds who are not in education, employment, or training.

The YES Hub takes a holistic approach, offering various services to boost young people's confidence and skills before assisting them in re-entering employment or education.

Mental wellbeing lies at the core of Pendle YES Hub's support, with a comprehensive calendar of activities available each week, including one-to-one wellbeing support delivered by Lancashire MIND.

The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will enable these essential sessions to continue for at least another year.

Dave Marshall, project lead at Pendle YES Hub, expressed his delight at the funding.

He said: "We're thrilled that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognized our work. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can continue offering our life-changing one-to-one wellbeing support sessions, delivered by Colin from Lancashire MIND.

"Recognizing mental health as a significant barrier for young people seeking employment or training, having Colin at the YES Hub is invaluable to achieving our mission of supporting as many young people as possible in entering employment, education, or training."

Pendle YES Hub's provision extends beyond employment support, offering opportunities for young people to become physically active, explore new hobbies, and build social skills through interacting with fellow participants.

This inclusive approach empowers young people to overcome barriers and thrive in their personal and professional journeys.

Pendle YES Hub, since its inception almost four years ago, has supported over 1,500 young people.

Attendance at the hub has surged since Colin's mental wellbeing support was introduced in 2024.

Colin said: "Working with Pendle YES Hub has been fantastic, and I'm delighted that The National Lottery's generous funding will allow me to continue supporting young people here."

The National Lottery Community Fund recently launched its strategy, 'It starts with community,' aiming to distribute at least £4 billion in National Lottery funding by 2030. This strategy focuses on four key missions: bringing communities together, promoting environmental sustainability, helping children and young people thrive, and enabling healthier lives.

National Lottery players raise over £30m weekly for good causes across the UK. Last year (2023/24), The National Lottery Community Fund awarded £686.3m to over 13,700 projects, transforming ideas into reality and making a life-changing impact in communities.

To find out more about Pendle YES Hub, email [email protected]