FIXERS LAUNCHES IN WALES
News provided by Fixers on Wednesday 30th Jan 2013
Fixers, a unique project which helps young people ‘fix’ the issues they feel strongly about, is launching in Wales.
The project has already supported over 6,500 16 to 25 year olds to raise awareness and understanding of the issues they face, and highlighted their achievements on ITV.
Now, thanks to a £7.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, Fixers is expanding to all countries in the UK, and Wales is the first to benefit.
Over the next four years, as the movement grows, Fixers aims to recruit a further 20,000 young people across the UK.
A reception to mark the launch in Wales is to be held at The Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay, on Thursday January 31st, supported by Christine Chapman AM and Lindsay Whittle AM.
Fixers is already working with 113 Fixers in Wales, on 19 projects, and the event will be an opportunity for Assembly Members, business leaders and voluntary sector representatives to get a glimpse of their work.
ITV presenter Jonathan Hill will present special previews of the first welsh Fixers projects and the first film which will be broadcast on ITV News Cymru Wales on Thursday 7th February.
The film features Scott McCarthy, 19, from Newport, who is drawing on his own experience of homophobic bullying to support other young people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
Scott says: “I’m producing a series of workshops with Fixers to provide support for the LGBT community, covering issues from bullying to ‘coming out’ to your family.
“I hope to make sure that young LGBT people do not have to go through things that I, or others in a similar situation, have had to go through.”
Fixer Amy Mullen, 19, from Cwmbran, south Wales, will also speak about how she found studying art helped her overcome depression.
She is working with Fixers to make a short film to inspire other young people to find creative ways of tackling stress related conditions.
Amy says: “I want to encourage more young people who may be affected by stress - particularly during exams - to explore their feelings through creativity.”
Fixers was established as a project of the Public Service Broadcasting Trust in 2008.
How each Fixer tackles their chosen issue is up to them – as long as they benefit someone else.
Each Fixer is supported to create the resources they need to make their chosen project a success, with creative help from media professionals.
Many Fixers chose to make a film, music video, run workshops or hold an event to encourage change in their communities.
“Fixers started in 2008 as just an idea… an idea given a voice by some 6,500 young people over the past four years,” says Margo Horsley, Chief Executive of PSBT.
“They have reached thousands of people with their work, on a national stage as well as in and around where they live. They choose the full array of social and health issues facing society today and set about making their mark.
“Their ideas can be challenging, inspirational and often life-changing and we are delighted to now be working with young Welsh people who want to make a difference.”
Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund UK Chair, said: “The Big Lottery Fund is extremely happy to be supporting Fixers to engage with more young people to change things for the better.
“Thousands of public-spirited young people across the UK are campaigning to make improvements in their own communities.
“By providing a platform to highlight their voluntary work and many achievements, Fixers demonstrates the positive contribution thousands of committed young people are making at a local level and challenges negative stereotypes.”
For more information, please contact Maggie Morgan in the Fixers Communications Team by emailing maggie@fixers.org.uk or calling 01962 810970.
Notes to editors:
Fixers is a project of the Public Service Broadcasting Trust, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, and featured on ITV regional news programmes.
Since 2008 more than 6,500 young people in England have become Fixers and created some 600 projects. Their achievements have been highlighted in over 290 ITV features.
Now with a new £7.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, Fixers is extending into Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and aims to involve a further 20,000 young people over the next four years.
The Public Service Broadcasting Trust is a charity that brings together mainstream broadcasters, public and voluntary sector services, and viewers.
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004.
The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
There are lots more stories about young people doing great things on our website, twitter and Facebook page:
www.fixers.org.uk
www.facebook.com/FixersUK
http://twitter.com/FixersUK
ends
The project has already supported over 6,500 16 to 25 year olds to raise awareness and understanding of the issues they face, and highlighted their achievements on ITV.
Now, thanks to a £7.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, Fixers is expanding to all countries in the UK, and Wales is the first to benefit.
Over the next four years, as the movement grows, Fixers aims to recruit a further 20,000 young people across the UK.
A reception to mark the launch in Wales is to be held at The Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay, on Thursday January 31st, supported by Christine Chapman AM and Lindsay Whittle AM.
Fixers is already working with 113 Fixers in Wales, on 19 projects, and the event will be an opportunity for Assembly Members, business leaders and voluntary sector representatives to get a glimpse of their work.
ITV presenter Jonathan Hill will present special previews of the first welsh Fixers projects and the first film which will be broadcast on ITV News Cymru Wales on Thursday 7th February.
The film features Scott McCarthy, 19, from Newport, who is drawing on his own experience of homophobic bullying to support other young people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
Scott says: “I’m producing a series of workshops with Fixers to provide support for the LGBT community, covering issues from bullying to ‘coming out’ to your family.
“I hope to make sure that young LGBT people do not have to go through things that I, or others in a similar situation, have had to go through.”
Fixer Amy Mullen, 19, from Cwmbran, south Wales, will also speak about how she found studying art helped her overcome depression.
She is working with Fixers to make a short film to inspire other young people to find creative ways of tackling stress related conditions.
Amy says: “I want to encourage more young people who may be affected by stress - particularly during exams - to explore their feelings through creativity.”
Fixers was established as a project of the Public Service Broadcasting Trust in 2008.
How each Fixer tackles their chosen issue is up to them – as long as they benefit someone else.
Each Fixer is supported to create the resources they need to make their chosen project a success, with creative help from media professionals.
Many Fixers chose to make a film, music video, run workshops or hold an event to encourage change in their communities.
“Fixers started in 2008 as just an idea… an idea given a voice by some 6,500 young people over the past four years,” says Margo Horsley, Chief Executive of PSBT.
“They have reached thousands of people with their work, on a national stage as well as in and around where they live. They choose the full array of social and health issues facing society today and set about making their mark.
“Their ideas can be challenging, inspirational and often life-changing and we are delighted to now be working with young Welsh people who want to make a difference.”
Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund UK Chair, said: “The Big Lottery Fund is extremely happy to be supporting Fixers to engage with more young people to change things for the better.
“Thousands of public-spirited young people across the UK are campaigning to make improvements in their own communities.
“By providing a platform to highlight their voluntary work and many achievements, Fixers demonstrates the positive contribution thousands of committed young people are making at a local level and challenges negative stereotypes.”
For more information, please contact Maggie Morgan in the Fixers Communications Team by emailing maggie@fixers.org.uk or calling 01962 810970.
Notes to editors:
Fixers is a project of the Public Service Broadcasting Trust, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, and featured on ITV regional news programmes.
Since 2008 more than 6,500 young people in England have become Fixers and created some 600 projects. Their achievements have been highlighted in over 290 ITV features.
Now with a new £7.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, Fixers is extending into Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and aims to involve a further 20,000 young people over the next four years.
The Public Service Broadcasting Trust is a charity that brings together mainstream broadcasters, public and voluntary sector services, and viewers.
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004.
The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
There are lots more stories about young people doing great things on our website, twitter and Facebook page:
www.fixers.org.uk
www.facebook.com/FixersUK
http://twitter.com/FixersUK
ends
Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Fixers, on Wednesday 30 January, 2013. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/
Fixers UK Margo Horsley Jonathan Hill Scott McCarthy Amy Mullen Charities & non-profits Children & Teenagers
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FIXERS LAUNCHES IN WALES
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