Yorkshire mine foundation funds activities for youngsters

The Sirius Minerals Foundation has awarded grants totalling £82,558 to 27 community organisations in its recent funding round, aimed at giving young people in Scarborough Borough, the North York Moors National Park and Redcar and Cleveland a chance to spend time together with friends having spent so much time apart during the pandemic.

The foundation, which is funded by mining company Anglo American, the owner of the Woodsmith Mine being built near Whitby, funded activities including Christmas parties, a temporary ice rink and visits to the pantomime, weekend residentials, camping trips, surfing lessons and tickets to see professional football and cricket matches.

Leah Swain, chief executive of the foundation, said: “It’s been a really tough year for children and young people who have missed out on education, social activities, school trips and celebration events that mark key stages in their lives.

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“Most of all, they have not had time with their friends. We are delighted to be able to fund local groups and charities to do something amazing with the young people they support – they deserve to have a break and simply have some fun with their friends to create joyful memories together.”

Scalby Football Club’s Under-12s will be heading for an adventure weekend and to watch a top level football match thanks to a £4,060 foundation grant.

The club's coach, Mark Draper, said: “We’re massively thankful to the Sirius Minerals Foundation for allowing us to treat the lads to an outdoor adventure weekend at Bewerley Park and tickets to a top division football match at some point next year.

“It’s great that the foundation is willing to support our local communities. The children will remember these trips for years to come.”

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Another organisation to benefit is Closer Communities, a charity based in Scarborough which supports families that have a child with disabilities or complex medical needs.

Karen Porter from Closer Communities said: “We are so grateful for the funding that we have received through the Time Together Grant, at a time when local charities, like ours, are struggling.

“This will be used to fund our Surf4Inclusion Project, which will mean we can offer an opportunity for children that have disabilities to take part in inclusive surfing activities. This will have such a positive impact on our children's mental health after a difficult 18 months.”

Anglo American is spending £1m a year on the foundation while the mine is under construction. Longer term, it will be funded by a percentage of the mine's revenue, which is expected to add up to several million pounds per year.

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For more information on the foundation, visit https://www.siriusmineralsfoundation.co.uk/

The successful groups are:

Youth Focus North East

Latvis

Kidz Konnekt

Guisborough and East Cleveland Sea Cadets

Guisborough Town Whites U14 Football Club

Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall and Playing Fields

1st Saltburn Scout Group

14th Scarborough Rainbows

Teesside Athletic FC

Skelton United FC Under 9s

InterActive Whitby & District

Saltburn Skatepark and Sport CIC

Scalby Cricket Club

Gallows Close Centre

First Scarborough Scouts

Derwent Valley Scout Group

Blaze

Scalby Juniors U12

Carers Plus Yorkshire

Closer Communities

Sneaton Parish Council

The Link Charitable Trust

Girlguiding Scarborough West Division

Havelock Park Residents Association

Yorkshire Coast Families

Sidewalk Youth Project

Rubies

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