London borough announces Urban Synergy as official Mayoral charity partner

Lewisham Mayor Brenda Dacres announces Urban Synergy as the borough's Charity for 2024

• Local award-winning youth empowerment charity, Urban Synergy, has been chosen as the Mayoral Charity.
• The charity has helped over 27,000 young people to unlock their full potential.

The Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres, announced Urban Synergy as the Mayoral Charity for 2024 at Full Council on 17th July.

Urban Synergy works tirelessly to ensure young people aged 9 to 24 can access opportunities they otherwise would not be able to. The charity inspires, guides, and ignites young people’s ambitions.

Mayor Brenda Dacres said, ‘I have seen firsthand the difference their work makes to the lives of young people in Lewisham, by providing outstanding mentoring, school programmes, and work experience opportunities. They focus on early support to build confidence, and connect them with aspirational, yet relatable role models, mentors, and industry-leading companies. I am pleased that through this partnership we can continue to provide opportunities for young people in Lewisham.’

Additionally, the Mayor presented the previous charity – Lewisham Foodbank - with a cheque for £22,848 thanks to the generosity of local people.

The money was raised through a range of fundraising efforts including donations at the Pantomimes held at the Broadway Theatre, Christmas Carols, and by Lewisham Council staff who ran the TCS London Marathon.

Leila Thomas, CEO and Urban Synergy founder said, "I truly appreciate your dedication to empowering young people by choosing Urban Synergy as your official mayoral charity partner. Thank you for believing in the next generation. Your kindness and action today will give young people the opportunities that they deserve to make us proud. They are the future."

Sarah Vitty, Project Manager, from Lewisham Foodbank said,” We are grateful to have been Lewisham’s Mayoral Charity for 2023. We have been busier than ever, and our staff and volunteers have felt the increased demands on our foodbanks because of the cost-of-living crisis. We are so thankful to Lewisham Council for the money they have raised, which has served us well in our commitment to alleviating food poverty in the borough.”

For further information about the Mayor’s New Charity please contact CivicEvents@lewisham.gov.uk.

About Lewisham Council

Lewisham is a vibrant and culturally diverse borough. This is reflected in all aspects of daily life, from the response to the pandemic where the community rallied to support our most vulnerable residents, to the 170 languages spoken in our homes, schools, and businesses. We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

As we plan, we are working towards a fairer, greener, healthier and more economically sound future for all in Lewisham. This means continuing our efforts to tackle climate change for generations to come; ensuring that good health and wellbeing is equally accessible to everyone; and safeguarding local jobs and upskilling residents with the tools they need to succeed. Building on the community spirit and activism that has helped us through the pandemic and cost of living crisis, we are committed to creating a Future Lewisham we can all have a part in.

About Urban Synergy

Urban Synergy is an award-winning youth empowerment charity. Since being founded in 2007, it has helped over 27,000 young people aged between 9 and 24 to reach their potential.

The charity’s approach focuses on early support, to build confidence and show young people what is possible. Urban Synergy connects them with role models who are aspirational but relatable, industry leading companies and mentors.

The charity works collaboratively with valued partners to empower young people to write their own futures and create an equitable world. This is done through an understanding that every young person, their circumstances, and their dreams are unique, so we tailor school programmes, mentoring and work experience to enable them to fulfil their ambitions. Find out more about us on our website.