Charity raise a cup to future thanks to gift

BREW CLUB funding boost Mahdlo's Claire Crossfield and David Kilmartin with (from the left) Vicky Buckley (YBS Customer Consultant), Jane Garforth (YBS Mortgage Consultant) and Laura Armitage (YBS Branch Manager)

MAHDLO members know that the best way to share a problem is over a brew with a trained youth worker and, thanks to a donation from Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation, more young people will be able to open up about issues they face.

The charitable foundation donated £1,175 to Mahdlo Youth Zone's Brew Club, an easy and informal way for young people to share whatever problem or issue they may be experiencing with a youth worker over a cup of tea or a hot drink.

The idea, part of the youth zone's Get Sorted health and well-being initiative has proved to be a huge success and more young people are regularly coming to the club for help with a range issues including bullying, self-esteem and self-harm

Claire Crossfield, Mahdlo's development manager, said: "Brew Club is an invaluable part of what we offer to our members and can also act as a springboard for referrals to more targeted support such as mentoring and counselling.

"Just having someone you know you can trust to talk to, someone to listen and help, can be life changing."

Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation is funded through the Small Change Big Difference scheme where members donate the pennies from the interest on their accounts just once a year to help good causes.

Victoria Buckley, Customer Consultant at Yorkshire Building Society's Oldham branch, said: "The Brew Club can be a lifeline to some young people and we're really pleased to be able to help Mahdlo carry on the fantastic work they do in our community."