More places to go, more things to do and more trusted adults to turn to. That’s what young people in Blackpool told the government they want. And we’re making it happen.
Blackpool has been allocated more than £250,000 from the new Youth Matters Fund next year, with a shot at much more. The money comes from the government’s new £450 million Youth Matters Fund and backs Your National Youth Strategy – a ten-year plan published in December 2025 that aims to radically change what it feels like to grow up in England.
It’s the first national youth strategy in England in over two decades and was shaped by more than 14,000 young people. They told government they wanted more places to go, more things to do and more trusted adults to turn to.
With Youth Minister Vicky Foxcroft and Secretary of State Lisa Nandy
Driven by those priorities, the fund will pay for enriching activities and youth work. It will also pay for new builds, refurbishments, capital equipment and scheme development support, so that organisations can improve or expand what they offer young people.
Blackpool is among the areas chosen because of high levels of deprivation, a high proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), and local young people telling government there is not enough for them to do. Funding will be targeted at areas where young people feel there is little to do, and young people will have a say in how it is spent.
Around £20 million is being distributed through 60 local authorities in the coming months, so young people see a difference quickly. A delivery partner is being appointed for the wider fund, and a bidding round is expected to open in early 2027. Eligible youth organisations and local authorities will be able to apply.
Securing more investment and opportunities for Blackpool’s young people has been a priority for me since I was elected. I’m proud to have helped secure this additional £256,894, building on the £500,000 I recently secured for our new Young Futures Hub.
In a town that offers so much to visitors, I want young people growing up here to have more places to go, more things to do and the support to fulfil their potential. This funding gives us the opportunity to make that happen.
With the Creative Fusion group, Andrew Walker from Blackpool School of Art and Kerry Vasiliou from Creative Blackpool.
I’m constantly impressed by the talent and ambition of our young people. I recently met Creative Fusion, the country’s first youth-led Local Cultural Education Partnership, whose young creatives are designing and delivering projects for their peers. Alongside brilliant organisations like House of Wingz, the Grand Theatre and Boathouse Youth, they show why this investment matters.
My priority now is to turn the funding we’ve secured into lasting opportunities for Blackpool’s young people. I’ll bring the council, local youth organisations and young people together to shape how it is spent, build on the youth work we’ve already supported and develop strong bids that put Blackpool in pole position to secure more from the £450 million Youth Matters Fund.
As your MP, I’ll keep fighting for the investment our young people deserve to build a better future and a better Blackpool.”
