The Loft Youth Centre in Southwold has received a vital boost towards its support for young people in the town, thanks to a generous £2,000 donation from Hopkins Homes.
The centre will use the donation to support and broaden the horizons of local young people who rely on the centre to meet friends and access support.
The Loft Youth Centre runs drop-in youth sessions two evenings per week and aims to provide a safe and secure venue for young people to socialise, as well as offering opportunities to volunteer in a variety of different ways.
Hopkins Homes donated the money to support the charity’s work through its Hopkins Charitable Fund – a half a million-pound fund distributed to charities and community groups across Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire, over the course of five years.
James Hopkins, Hopkins Homes’ Founder and Executive Chairman, has strong family connections to Southwold and is keen to ensure the Hopkins Charitable Fund makes a real difference to families and young people who live in the coastal town.
Joshua Hopkins, of the Hopkins Charitable Fund, said: “Young people matter because they are our future. A safe and welcoming environment with access to a variety of services and programs, provides long-term benefits for any community.
“Evidence from the pandemic has shown that young people are one of the worst affected groups and it is vital that these individuals get support. The money from the grant will help fund the ongoing delivery of contact and specialist support to those who need it.
“Hopkins Homes has been part of the East Anglian landscape for over three decades and we are committed to leaving a positive legacy on our built environment to enhance the communities we are part of.
“We are delighted to have been able to offer support to The Loft Youth Centre and look forward to hearing more about the incredible things this organisation in Southwold is achieving in the future.”
The Loft has a variety of facilities available to those who come along including a pool table, table football, air hockey, play station, a tuck shop and card games.
The Loft Youth Centre Manager, Stephanie Willie, said: “The donation from Hopkins Homes is an incredibly generous contribution which will help us deliver vital support to young people who may feel disconnected, especially at the moment.
“Thanks to Hopkins Homes, we will be able to continue to equip young people with skills and experiences they might otherwise not have gained, and to demonstrate to them that they are able to make a difference, both in their own lives and to the lives of others.”
Hopkins Charitable Fund is working with the Suffolk Community Foundation to support charities and community organisations in the county.
In recent months, the fund has also supported Sutton Parish Council and The Meadows Children and Family Wing in Cambridgeshire.
For more information about Hopkins Homes please visit www.hopkinshomes.co.uk