One of England’s poorest coastal towns is filled with “hope and relief” after their last youth center was saved from closure.
The nonprofit Pie Factory Music has been based in Ramsgate, on the coast of Kent, for 13 years. It offers counseling, employment advice, life-skills, creative projects, or just a safe supportive space to make friends, for 8 to 25-year-olds.
Then the charity which runs the center had to try and respond to the town council’s preparations to auction the land on which the building was located. The center organized a campaign to stop the auction, working with other local community groups to raise awareness about how much good it does for Ramsgate.
The organizers also sought assistance in the form of a grant from the “Pride in Place” strategy, a fund organized by the current Labor government to invest in deprived communities across the country.
With more than $500,000, Pie has been able to buy the freehold title to the land, giving them the literal foundation to continue their lifechanging work.
“The board is making a clear statement: we are committed to providing safe, positive spaces for the next generations to thrive,” said Brian Horton, interim chair of the Ramsgate Neighborhood Board who signed off on the loan.
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“Knowing our future in the building is secure fills us with hope and relief,” said Pie’s chief executive, Zoë Carassik. “We are deeply grateful to the Pride in Place program and everyone who has helped us.”
Pie Factory organizes all kinds of activities, from letting refugee families organize cooking classes to soccer yard kickabouts, but the one constant that never changes is music: there’s always music playing at Pie, and every kid gets a turn at putting on what he or she likes.
WATCH a bit of what they do below…
SHARE This Great Community Center Surviving To Help Another Day…
