As a Youth Zone that takes £1.8 million to run per year, we rely on the support from patrons such as Fullers to continue to provide a quality facility and impactful Youth Work for local young people. As our Founder Patron campaign comes to an end, we sat down with Sam Bourke, Marketing Director, from WEST’s first corporate patron – Fuller’s.
- What does the organisation do?
Fuller’s is a premium pubs and hotels business. Our story began 180 years ago in West London. While our Support Centre is still in West London, by the Thames in Chiswick, we have an outstanding estate of iconic pubs and hotels across the Southern half of England. Our purpose is to create experiences that nourish the soul. At our heart is the warm and inviting welcome of a fantastic pub or hotel, delivered by an exceptional team of over 5,000 talented individuals. We have 186 Managed Pubs and Hotels, with 1,025 bedrooms and 153 Tenanted Inns – all aiming to ensure that everyone leaves that little bit happier than they arrived.
- How did you first become aware of WEST Youth Zone?
Our Chairman, Michael Turner, and Corporate Affairs Director, Richard Fuller, were invited by OnSide to visit one of its Youth Zone in the North West and were instantly blown away. Not only were they impressed by the space and the activities available to the young people but also the clear positive impact it had on those attending.
- What inspired Fuller’s to support WEST Youth Zone at the beginning of our journey?
Having seen the success of other sites, we knew we had to be involved with the Youth Zone that was due to be opening near our West London home. We are extremely proud to be a founding patron of WEST. West London is where it all began for us and we’re proud to have supported the community for 180 years – so to be able to continue that legacy is an honour.
- How does the charity’s mission align with the business’ values and goals?
WEST’s mission aligns with all four of our values – Doing things the right way, being part of the family, celebrating individuality and always asking what’s next? It’s great to see the young people who attend WEST are encouraged to thrive, and build friendships, confidence and skills in a safe environment. Fuller’s is family – where everyone feels a sense of belonging. We see that at WEST too.
- What is your favourite room or activity in WEST?
I love the climbing wall and rooftop football pitch. But I really love that there’s something for all interests – from the music room to the wellbeing room. It’s so important to give the young people access to activities and equipment they may have never even tried before – inspiration is key, whether that’s to spark an interest in a new hobby or even inspire a career path.
- How have you supported us so far?
We were one of WEST’s founding patrons and it’s first corporate partner – with funds going towards the initial construction of the youth zone. We are delighted to keep the relationship going – continuing the support through a holistic partnership.
- What are you looking forward to from partnering with WEST Youth Zone?
I’m looking forward to the positive impact we can have on the young people that come to WEST. We are looking at offering some kitchen skills sessions that will not only provide some important life skills, but hopefully also ignite a passion in cooking for some – inspiring chefs of the future. We will also work with WEST to offer the young people a chance to explore other career options that may not have been presented to them in the past.
We’re also going to encourage our team members to come and volunteer at WEST – to get to know tits members and understand the positive change that WEST brings. That will be really powerful.
- Why would you encourage other organisations and individuals to support us?
Before WEST was built, we knew it would be an important part of the local community, and we knew wanted to be involved from the start. Now that WEST is up and running, and has been for over a year, it’s so clear to see the effect of a safe environment on the young people. Supporting the local community is the right thing to do. You’re helping those around you by providing a safe space and, who knows, you could be inspiring the next CEO of your organisation.
With our opening year ending, the WEST team would like to thank our 46 Founder Patrons, including Fuller’s, for investing in us at the start of our journey. Your support has enabled us to provide over 42,000 hours of outstanding youth work to over 3,300 members. We couldn’t do it without your incredible support!
Although our Founder Patron campaign has come to an end, we still need over £3 million to fund our delivery over the next 4 years. If you are passionate about making a meaningful impact, we’d love to welcome you to join our WEST journey. Please get in touch with our Fundraising Team fundraising@westyouthzone.org to find out how you can help build brighter futures for our members.