Aylesbury Youth Concern receives donation to help its next step project

Youth Concern was chosen by the store for its Vodafone community connection award this week after the Vodafone team deemed it was a deserving cause.

Youth Concern, which is based at the Uptown Coffee Bar in Whitehill Lane offers guidance and counselling for vulnerable people aged 13-25.

This support covers a range of issues from education and employment to housing and mental health.

The charity also runs the Aylesbury Nightstop Programme which provides emergency accommodation – for up to seven nights – to young people facing homelessness.

Vodafone's £1,000 donation will help Youth Concern fund ‘The Next Step,’ a project which will provide those in need with alternative accommodation for up to a year as well as bespoke support packages to help people living independently.

Fran Borg-Wheeler, CEO at Youth Concern said: “We’re really grateful to have been selected for a Vodafone community connection award which will help to make “The Next Step’ project a reality.

We believe that every young person needs a safe home and this award will be a big step to making that possible in Aylesbury.”

Wayne Brown, Vodafone store manager in Aylesbury said: "We are absolutely delighted to donate £1,000 to Youth Concern.

"After hearing about ‘The Next Step’ project I knew we had made a terrific decision selecting them as our award winner.

"The donation will go towards an amazing development that will have a lasting impact for young people in our community.”

Launched in 2014, Vodafone’s community connection awards have already made a difference to more than 170 local communities across the country.

The awards have been used to help fund everything from new equipment for soup kitchens and day centres for the elderly to helping people with disabilities to take part in sporting activities.