Charity bids to open creative youth space for Lancaster and Morecambe kids

Escape2Make is a local charity providing free creative activities for young people in the district.

They believe that all young people deserve access to high quality creative learning experiences and spaces where they are safe and welcome.

Having delivered more than 500 free creative workshops for more than 1,000 11 to 18-year-olds in Lancaster and Morecambe, E2M are now on the verge of establishing their first dedicated, creative youth space.

To celebrate this, and to support young people to take ownership of the space, they aim to run 28 free workshops, supporting young people to learn new creative skills, make friends, and create things that will bring the new space to life.

Over February half-term in 2025, 125 young people would be able to take part in hands-on, offline activities led by professional artists, which may include upcycling furniture, making ceramic plant pots, sustainable textile design and mural painting.

Each workshop would lead to items that would become part of the new E2M space, and activities that would be showcased at a youth-led E2M fair, open to the community.

A spokesman said: "This is something that is desperately needed in the area – some young people don’t have anywhere to go, and this can lead to problems around mental health, anti-social behaviour and low confidence and aspirations."

The group believes that their work helps young people in mnay ways, including countering a growing mental health crisis, developing essential creative skills, helping them to make friends from diverse backgrounds outside of school, and offering tools to help make a positive difference in their community.

Their work also benefits the community by supporting 40 paid and volunteer opportunities.

The dedicated youth space would be used by other community groups and counter issues such as anti-social behaviour, mental health and loneliness.

So far, more than £9,000 has been pledged to the cause, with E2M hoping to raise around £33,000.

You can find out more and donate online at https://www.spacehive.com/escape2make?searchText=e2m%20fair

Your contributions can also potentially help to unlock up to £15,000 from Lancashire County Council.

You can also help out by downloading a fundraising pack for ideas, and sharing the campaign with friends and family.

If you want any flyers to share in your school or business, email [email protected] for more information.