The Hive Youth Zone needs your help to feed young people from Merseyside

In 2018 The Hive served more than 35,000 meals to its young members and now the centre needs your help to break the poverty cycle.

In modern day Merseyside, the thought of anyone going hungry is inconceivable, yet food poverty is a very real issue in many local communities. Based in Birkenhead, The Hive is a state of the art youth facility which provides a life-line for many young people age 8 -19 or up to 25 with disabilities or additional needs, living in the area.

The Youth Zone is a safe, inclusive environment where young people can enjoy themselves and be kids! The staff and volunteers work hard to support the young members and to raise their aspirations and confidence to create a happier and healthier generation.

Offering activities such as climbing, dance, team sports and drama, art, music production, fashion design and jewellery making. Youngsters pay a £5 for annual membership and then just 50p per visit. The Hive also operates a Holiday Club ensuring there’s a fun activity, meal and company for everyone throughout the summer holidays.

Gill Pleavin, Head of Youth Work at The Hive explained: “The Hive has around 4,000 members, and is designed to give young people aged 8 – 19 years old (up to 25 for those with additional needs) “something to do, somewhere to go and someone to talk to”.

“It provides young people with a safe and positive environment in which they can enjoy a wide range of activities, learn new skills, raise their aspirations and realise their full potential.”

Adam Mellor, Chief Executive at The Hive said:“ We firmly believe in at The Hive that no child should go hungry or have their future pre-determined by where they are born. But, every-day, we see examples of young people who, simply as a result of their circumstances, have had to go hungry in order that their families can get by.

“We see families trapped in a spiral of poverty and hunger that can persist for generations – and we want to do something about it; not only to help feed young people in need now but to equip them with the skills they need to break the cycle and escape future poverty.”

Open 7 days a week with junior, senior and dedicated disability sessions, The Hive opened its doors in 2017 and has since become an integral part of growing up in and around Birkenhead. Dedicated to offering a safe environment for youngsters to be themselves and to help raise their aspirations and confidence, The Hive is now facing a new challenge.

The latest fundraising campaign, Never Bee Hungry aims to alleviate the poverty cycle by providing food for today and skills for life. It does this by working with local businesses and organisations who encourage their customers and staff to make small, but vital donations. £1 on the bill at restaurants or 50p at bars and eateries can make an incredible difference. Or how about donating a few hours of staff time to volunteer at The Hive?

Tom Woolley, Head of Fundraising at The Hive explained: “We have been delighted to have been supported by a range of businesses across Merseyside since launching the Never Bee Hungry Campaign.

“Liverpool venues such as The Alchemist and Hanover Street Social have been huge supporters, and we are so grateful to Wirral restaurants including Thyme and Tanskey’s and venues including Benty Farm, The Yog Bar, Lattetude, Woodside Ferry Village, Popsy’s and Sombreros for their incredible support.”

Heather Anderson, who manages the campaign, added: “Venues supporting Never Bee Hungry really have gone above and beyond, fundraising tirelessly and volunteering their valuable time to help the campaign.

“Everybody is so keen to help, and we have even had other local businesses conducting their own fundraising activities such as Ducklings Day Nurseries in Hoylake and Moreton hosting raffles and even one supporter abseiling off Liverpool Cathedral to allow us to reach even more young people in need from across Merseyside.”

One child in two lives in poverty in Wirral’s most disadvantaged areas, with over ten times as many children going hungry in the most deprived ward of Wirral compared to the most affluent. Working closely with its young members, The Hive is attempting to close that gap by equipping the next generation with the confidence and skills they need to succeed.

Venues interested in learning more about Never Bee Hungry and how they can get involved can contact Heather Anderson via heather.anderson@thehiveyouthzone.org.

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