Status 4 All receives £10k from National Lottery to provide alternative education activities

Young people working on the Status 4 All allotments with youth mentor Terry Smith and volunteer Eddie Carr

Middleton community group Status 4 All has been awarded almost £10,000 in National Lottery funding.

The Langley-based group will use the funds to run outdoor activities at the Status 4 All Leisure Garden and Allotments and Bowlee Community Association for local children who are hard to reach, not in education, employment, or training (NEET), or special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as well as providing volunteer opportunities for the community.

The outdoor activities will be an ‘add-on’ provision and will run twice weekly.

The new funding will see Status 4 All be able to expand the number of children and young people engaged with, whilst the group will be able to offer help and supports to its users’ parents, carers, guardians or grandparents.

They will take referrals from local schools and youth provisions.

Status 4 All is staffed by six volunteers and has been running since 2010. It was founded by Sue and Terry Smith, after they became aware more needed to be done for local children who – for whatever reason – were not engaging with the education system. Their aim is to work with children referred from local schools who are on a reduced timetable.

Founder Terry said: “We’re delighted that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to press on with our plans to broaden the range of opportunities available to local children and their parents.

“This is important because it helps both the children and parents build relationships with others facing similar challenges and to create their own supportive circles of friends and peers.”

Volunteer Georgina Jacques added: “This is fantastic news, especially after the last year with Covid.

“This news is what our community needs right now to help lift our spirits and give us something to focus on for a brighter future.”