Young people in need of emotional and practical support from across the Huntingdon area are to gain access to an expanded service thanks to a grant of £89,255 presented by the Province to Centre 33, a charity that supports vulnerable young people between the ages of 8 and 25.

The grant comes from the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.

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From left, WBro Tim Lucy PPSGW (Provincial MCF representative), Beth Green (Centre 33 Executive Director), Meg Platt (Centre 33 Director of Operations), and WBro Gerry Crawford PAGDC (Provincial Grand Charity Steward)

The resultant growth and success of the 'Someone to Talk To' service run by Centre 33 will enable young people in Huntingdon to access the free, confidential service without an appointment and for as long and as often as needed.

Each year, over 200-clients will benefit from help and advice in such areas as information about local services or CV writing, and a further 100 will have one-to-one support, which may include developing an action plan, guidance in accessing services such as counselling, or help with becoming confident with money and applying for work.

An expanded, open-access hub in Huntingdon will join Centre 33's existing Cambridge, Ely, Wisbech, and Peterborough centres, enabling more young people to drop in for advice and support about matters such as mental health, employment, housing, sexual health, and caring responsibilities.

In Huntingdonshire – which has pockets of acute deprivation – research shows that there is a huge demand for Centre 33’s services, which up until now, some clients have been unable to access locally. This has been made more acute by poor transport links, which prevent young people from securing the support-services they need.

The MCF grant presented by the Province will enable the charity to employ two new members of staff as well as enlarge the roles of the existing service-manager and administrator. Centre 33 is also looking to use venues and opening times that work best for young people, as well as liaising with other charities and agencies to provide more comprehensive support.

Initially, Centre 33 aims to help its clients to feel welcomed and safe, as well as empower them to create real change in their lives. Longer-term, they hope to engender improved health, more meaningful education/employment, and increased hope for the future.

One young person who received support for her social anxiety said:

Thank you for really helping me over the summer. Just coming in to talk made me 100-times better and made me feel normal because someone understood me. I am much improved now, and going out a lot more.

Meg Platt, Director of Operations at Centre 33, said:

We’re very grateful to the Freemasons for their generous grant, which will allow us to reach many more vulnerable young people in a wider area who are in real need of help and support on everything from housing and benefits, to mental and sexual health.

WBro Gerry Crawford PAGDC, Provincial Grand Charity Steward, said:

We’re very pleased to be able to help Centre 33 with their hugely important work. There are many hundreds of young people in our community who desperately need the confidential advice and support that Centre 33 provides.

About Centre 33

Centre 33 is a charity working across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to support young people aged 8-25 with their practical issues and emotional needs.

The charity has five drop-in hubs across the county (Peterborough, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Wisbech and Ely) and works in a large number of secondary schools and community settings.

Each year it supports over 2,500 young people with free, confidential, and accessible services.

The charity specialises in mental health, housing, sexual health, budgeting, employment, and caring responsibilities. It has been working in the community for nearly 40-years.