
Since moving onto Bedford Street in North Shields earlier this year, the generosity of the team at Featonby’s has helped YMCA North Tyneside refurbish and re-equip numerous flats for homeless young people at little or no cost. Donations generally include good quality TV’s, fridges, sofas and other essential kitchen and household items; things that YMCA would ordinarily have to find the funds to purchase.
YMCA currently houses 23 young people who would otherwise be homeless. YMCA receives the young person’s Housing Benefit payment but this is only really enough to keep a roof over their heads. YMCA has to raise additional money to put in place the sort of care and support from qualified Support Workers that ultimately ensures that the young people grow, develop, learn to care for themselves and get into training, education or employment. That sometimes leads to some hard choices having to be made about what to pay for.
Janet Richardson, Head of Housing, says “We’re incredibly grateful for the support Featonby’s have shown to YMCA. Their generosity couldn’t have come at a better time for us. In the past few months we’ve had a number of positive move-on’s – including one young girl who earned a place at Oxford University to study languages. When young people move on we like to send them off with as much as we can so that they can set up their own places without spending a fortune. We also like to refurbish and kit out flats for our new arrivals so that they feel really positive about their new home. However the cost of doing the best for the young people can be prohibitive unless organisations, like Featonby’s, are able to help us out. We can’t thank them enough”
The Manager at Featonby’s says “As a responsible local business we think it’s crucial to support local charities… and YMCA are literally on our doorstep. The work they do to look after homeless youngsters is invaluable and we’re only too happy to support them as they try to get them back on their feet and into training and out to work.”
Visit the Featonby’s website by clicking here.
YMCA North Tyneside needs the support of local businesses to ensure it can deliver programmes of activities for children and young people, as well as give a home to homeless youngsters.
If you’d like to find out more about how you, or your business can get involved please contact us today.

Read more news stories:
Half Term Fun
Our Jarrow youth group has had a busy time lately in the build-up to the end of March (more to come on that later!). During the last half term our youth workers held sessions with our young people, helping them finish off their Covid memorial clay work to be displayed...
RAF Leeming VS Airplay Youth Club
During the February Half Term, our young people from the Airplay Youth Club went head to head against staff from RAF Leeming in an exciting day of challenges. Six teams from various sections of the RAF base, along with SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, turned up...
Halloween in Teesdale
Our community team successfully delivered the October half-term plan to our families across Teesdale without a hitch. The staff, volunteers, children and parents pulled together and created 3 spookily large puppets and some scarily good pumpkins, which were then...
Jarrow Animates LGBTQ+ Issues
Our popular Central Jarrow Detached Youth Project was successful in securing funds from the Violence Reduction Unit in a bid to create a short animated video on a subject they feel very passionate about…LGBTQ+. Many of the youth group’s participants identify as part...
The Start of Our Free Winter Community Meals
Last Wednesday saw the success of our first Winter Community Meal of the year, with over 19 people in attendance enjoying a big bowl of chilli, followed by cake and custard. The meal was kindly sponsored by Jacqui, owner of Children of the Revolution in Tynemouth who...