WYZ Bulletin_online

WYZBULLETIN >>>Edition. 3, Feb 2018<<<

The Reet Good Beer Fest is Back for 2018!After taking a year off in 2017, the Reet Good Beer Festival is back and promises to be thebest yet.The marquee has been booked, the beers are being ordered and we’re well on our way toconfirming all the fantastic entertainment that will grace the stage of 2018’s festival.Dates for the Beer Festival are confirmed as Thursday 21st - Sunday 24th June, held onceagain on Mesnes Field, off New Market Street and behind the Youth Zone.As with previous years, the Reet Good Beer Fest will offer hundreds of bitters, ales and cidersand also herald the return of the Prosecco and Gin Bars for those who want a bit of fizzinstead of the ubiquitous pints.Details of themes and music for each night of the festival are currently being confirmed but allnights of the festival will see fantastic live entertainment including the addition this year of aBavarian Night, with some fantastic live German music and audience participation!Our fundraising team are currently looking for local businesses to help support the event withsponsorship, there are a number of sponsorship packages still available, everything fromsponsoring a barrel to a bar - Interested in sponsoring the event? [email protected] for more information or call Sharon McLaren on 01942 612 061.Tickets will be going on sale soon for the Reet Good Beer Festival via the website - Go towww.reetgoodbeerfest.co.uk

Another Group ofYoung People StartTheir Get a Job JourneyOn January 15th, we welcomed anothersixteen 16 - 21 year olds to their first dayof the Get A Job course.The Get a Job course is a dynamic8-week programme offered to youngpeople aged 16 - 21 who are notcurrently in education. The course allowsyoung people to improve their team workskills and confidence, build their CVwriting and interview techniques as wellas gain accredited qualifications.The students took part in team buildingchallenges on their first day, designed tohelp them ease into the course and getto know their fellow students.Over the next 8 weeks, they will learnabout money management, customerservice and telephone skills, interviewpreparation and techniques forpresentations. They will also attend acompany visit day, mock interviews andat the end of the course, get supportedinto job roles and training with help fromour expert team.We’ll keep you posted on their progressover the next eight weeks..

Youth Zone Volunteers Recognised at Regional Awards Ceremony Two of Wigan Youth Zone’s most dedicated volunteers Sean Dwyer and Imogen Murray, have been recognised at the Lancashire Boys and Girls Clubs Association (LABGC) Awards evening on 5th December 2017. Sean Dwyer won the Runner-Up Adult Volunteer of the Year Award after another year of fantastic dedication to the charity. Involved from the very start of the Youth Zone’s journey, Sean has volunteered at the organisation for over 4 years, recently focusing on the WYZ Market Stall in Wigan Market, selling discount sportswear and raising funds for the Youth Zone.Sean said at the presentation event;“I am very pleased about winning the award; it proves that hard work really does pay off.”Imogen Murray is one of 11 young leaders at the Youth Zone who dedicates hours each week tohelp support young members. Aged 14 – 17, young leaders gain valuable experience and skills aswell as helping a local charity in the process.The LABGC awarded Imogen with the Young Volunteer of the Year Award, after she was nominatedfrom the Youth Zone team for her positive impact on the younger members and her commitment oftime to sessions.Imogen was ecstatic about the accolade, saying;“I am over the moon about getting this award as I feel like all my hours and hard-work have beenrecognised. I like the fact they do these awards for volunteers and young leaders too as I feel likethis will boost other people’s confidence, like it did mine.”“I’ve gained so much from being a Wigan Youth Zone Young Leader, I was quite scared when I firststarted as I thought volunteers would be separate from staff but it’s completely different - it’s like onebig family.”Sean and Imogen were given the awards at a special presentation evening at The Lancaster HouseHotel, hosted to celebrate the best Lancashire youth work has to offer.

Volunteer Fred Recognised for Work in ShakerleyWYZ Market Sees In January 2018, we presented FredRecord Sales in 2017 Rigby with our ‘Partner Volunteer of the Year’ Award - a special recognition award2017 was another successful for the WYZ market we give out each year to a volunteer whostall, raising almost £20,000 for the Youth Zone. has supported our activities through one of our organisational partners.The stall donated by Wigan Market to the YouthZone charity, offers the youth zone another Fred, the Caretaker at Shakerleyfantastic fundraising opportunity with all proceeds Community Centre, volunteers hisfrom the WYZ stall coming directly to the Youth time every Wednesday evening to helpZone charity. The stall also offers young people the Youth Zone deliver fantastic youththe ability to learn valuable work and enterprise sessions to the local community.skills as part of the Get a Job course. The Shakerley Youth Group is partSelling discount gym wear, trainers and other of Wigan Youth Zone’s Outreachsports gear, donated from DW Sports - the programme, aiming to reach even morestaff have managed to raise a fantastic £20,000 young people with our positive work,in sales in 2017 and hope to do even better in regardless of their distance from the2018. Youth Zone.The stall’s success can be solely attributed to a People like Fred help the youth zonesmall number of volunteers who dedicate their deliver life-changing work beyond itstime and ensure the stall is open 6 days a week. doors and invaluable to our team.In particular Sean Dwyer, who has donated asignificant amount of time to the stall throughout Well done Fred.2017.Check out the Youth Zone stall at Wigan Market,open 11am - 3pm Monday to Saturday.

WYZ Christmas Dinner 2017In December, with support from the local businesscommunity and volunteers, the Youth Zone hostedanother fantastic Family Christmas Meal foralmost 200 deserving local young people and theirfamilies on Saturday 23rd December.All those attending the event were chosen fromour Youth Zone members or referred from otherlocal youth organisations - they were identified asyoung people who needed a little help or respitein the festive period and deserved a Christmas toremember.Guests enjoyed a fantastic Christmas lunchwith all the trimmings courtesy of Andy Birch,Operations Manager from DW Stadium andChadwick’s Emporium of Fine Foods.In addition, the event had a host of fantasticentertainment for young people including a visitfrom Santa Claus, sing-a-long Christmas carols,festive games, activities and even a giant inflatablesnow globe!All the staff and helpers on the day volunteeredtheir time to support the cause, with almost 50people coming along to help serve food, deliveractivities or spread Christmas cheer, dressed aselves.The families who attended the event were givenChristmas presents to take away with them,donated by Wish FM’s Toy Appeal and Key 103’sCash 4 Kids.

We also received bags and bags ofchocolate, gifts and canned goodsfrom the local community - all ofwhich went towards family Christmashampers which were given out on theday - to help ease the pressure forsome families this Christmas.We’d like to say a massive thank youto all of those who donated money,gifts or their time to the ChristmasMeal 2017 - with special thanksto Santander, DW Stadium andChadwick’s Emporium of Fine Foods.

Volunteer Matthew Goes the Extra Mile for Dodgeball Team Volunteer Dodgeball Coach, Matthew Melling has lead the fundraising effort for the Dodgeball World Cup by challenging himself to run a 5K every day for charity. Starting in Jan 2017, Matthew took on the challenge of taclking a 5k run each day, documenting his efforts via his ‘Wigan Runner’ Facebook and Twitter pages with a mission to make it through a full year. Over the Christmas period, Matthew made it to day 365 celebrating his final run in Reykjavik. Matthew will continue with his mammoth challenge throughout 2018 and is hoping to raise even more for the WYZ Dodgeball Warriors. If you’d like to sponsor Matthew and help the Dodgeball team on their way, go to Justgiving and search ‘Matthew Melling’.Run the 5k for Wigan Dodgeball TeamTo help support the fundraising effort, we’re still looking for runners to take on the Wigan 5kfor the Dodgeball Team’s Trip.Run the 5k with colleagues, family or join our Youth Zone team and help the DodgeballWarriors represent Wigan in New York. No registration fee is required, we just ask thatrunners raise a minimum of £50 in sponsorship to help go towards the Dodgeball trip.If you would like to run the 5K for Wigan Dodgeball Warriors, contact Ian on 01942 612061or email [email protected] to find out more.

WYZ Dodgeball Team Aim for New YorkWigan Youth Zone’s own dodgeball team, ‘Wigan Dodgeball Warriors’ have been invited to attendthe Dodgeball World Cup in Madison Square Gardens, representing the UK in 2018.After winning a regional competition and playing at the Manchester Dodgeball World Cup, eightof our young members were asked to represent England at the inagural World Cup at MadisonSquare Gardens, New York on the 4th & 5th August this year.All members of the team have been attending dodgeball sessions at Wigan Youth Zone over thepast two years and are now ramping up their training in readiness for the Big Apple. WYZ Dodgeball team member Harvey, said of the opportunity; “We’re so excited to be going to New York, I’ve never been before and this is a once in a lifetime chance! We’re working really hard every week and hope to make Wigan proud.” “I’d like to say a huge, huge thank you to all of those who have helped raise funds for the our team - you’re making our dreams come true!” Wigan Youth Zone staff and supporters have been taking to the streets, water and even skies to raise funds for the Dodgeball team and their trip. Last July, 12 staff members from the Youth Zone took part in a sponsored sky dive to raise money for WYZ Dodgeball Warriors, raising almost £2,000. The Dodgeball team need to raise £15,000 to get them to Madison Square Gardens, you can support them and find out more at www.wiganyouthzone.org, or join the runners taking on the 5k for the team in March (see opposite).

Youth Zone Combating Childhood Obesity with Week ofHealthy ActivitiesWigan Youth Zone has marked National Obesity Awareness Week with a host of activities in January,geared towards healthy eating and keeping fit.Britain is the most obese country in Europe, with rates steadily climbing for the past few years. The9th – 15th January marked Obesity Awareness Week, an event set nationally to combat the growingweight problem in the UK. As part of their commitment to healthy living amongst young people, staff at the Youth Zone used the awareness week as an opportunity to ramp up specific activities towards fitness, healthy eating and learning about a balanced diet. Events throughout the week included a ‘Cycle for your Smoothie’ activity, where Youth Zone members had to mix their own smoothies using the Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles ‘Bike- Blender’ and made their own fruit kebabs. Members of all ages were encouraged to think more about their food choices, with targeted sessions over the week in all areas of the Youth Zone and quick challenges aimed to get young people moving.

December’s Business Breakfast In December, the Youth Zone hosted their final Business Breakfast of 2017 and welcomed over 120 local business men and women to the popular networking event. Every WYZ Business Breakfast welcomes a notable and distinguished guest and December was no exception, welcoming Bill Holroyd CBE who talked about his wealth of business experience and journey from boy to sucessful entrepreneur. Mr Holyroyd also gave insight into his philanthropic investments including his work with Onside and building the network of Youth Zones. Bill said of his first visit to Bolton Lads & Girls Club which lead to the inception of the Onside network; “I didn’t know the problem until I saw the solution - Youth Zones gave young people somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to.” Attendees also heard from representatives from the World Dodgeball Association about their collaborative work with Wigan Youth Zone and an update on the Youth Zone from our Executive Director, Anthony Ashworth-Steen. The next Business Breakfast is scheduled for Fri 2nd March 2018, where we will be welcoming guest speaker Ross Warburton, Executive Director at Warburton’s. Book your place now, email events@ wiganyouthzone.org or call 01942 612 061 and speak to Sharon McLaren.

Senior Climbing LeagueOur climbing team have launched a Senior WinterClimbing League to engage even more youngpeople onto our 10-metre climbing wall.The league was launched on January 19th andis open to all Senior members of the Youth Zone,with weekly climbing routes and speed challengesset up to test those who have entered.Head of Climbing, Chris Quigley said:“The idea is about getting more people towardsthe goal of lifelong fitness, finding something youenjoy, and getting fit that way.”“It will require a mixing of climbing techniques,and we’re going to chuck in some surprises alongthe way.The Senior Winter Climbing League will run for sixweeks, with the champion of the league crownedat the end of February and awarded a £50 giftvoucher.Vacancies at Wigan Youth ZoneWe currently have a number of vacancies at Wigan Youth Zone, go to www.wiganyouthzone.org to find out more.Grants & Trusts ManagerCirca £30,000 pro rata (4 day per week)Music & Media Youth WorkerSalary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (Up to 21 hours per week)Art Youth WorkerSalary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (15 hours per week)Part-Time Art Youth Worker (Mat Leave Cover)Salary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (21 hours per week)Youth Worker (Girls Room)Salary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (16 hours per week)Recreation Youth Play WorkerSalary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (2 Posts - 13 hrs & 14 hrs)