The Lowry’s 2017 Christmas Appeal launches TONIGHT and will support young people experiencing homelessness, it has been announced.
Through bucket collections and other fundraising activity, the Salford arts venue hopes to raise £25,000 to fund a year-long programme of support for a group of homeless young people in the city.
The programme will focus on two key challenges facing young people experiencing homelessness – education and employment.
The programme will work closely with local partners to complement and add to the local offer, working together to tackle homelessness.
Based in the community, this programme will be led by highly trained practitioners and artists to use creativity as a way for young people aged 16-25 to come together and engage in creative activity which will enable them to develop new skills, reduce isolation, express themselves and access support around mental health and wellbeing. They will also have the opportunity to gain qualifications and move towards education or employment.
To do this The Lowry will work closely with partner organisations locally, to ensure that young people on the programme are being fully supported to access relevant services who provide accommodation and shelter such as The Mustard Tree.
Julia Fawcett OBE, chief executive of The Lowry, said: “The Lowry has developed a programme of work over recent years which has enabled us to work in partnership with local organisations to support some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our city. We are committed to working alongside our local community and believe arts and culture have a vital role to play in standing alongside colleagues in the city to enable positive change.
“Homelessness is a far wider and more complex issue than most people realise. Of course, the most visible aspect is those who face sleeping rough on the city’s streets – but there are also thousands of young people reliant on emergency or temporary accommodation for a variety of reasons, who are extremely vulnerable”
“The Christmas Appeal is a really great example of the impact The Lowry can have on the lives of young people in Salford and I’d like to thank our audiences and visitors in advance for their very generous support.”
Bucket collections will begin tonight at performances of Slava’s Snow Showand continue up until the end of ELF The Musical on Sunday 14 January. Donations can also be made online here.
