Lincoln House Chambers attend opening of The Prince's Trust Doug Barrowman Centre

As proud supporters of The Prince’s Trust, Lincoln House Chambers were delighted to be invited to the opening of the Doug Barrowman Centre.

The an Centre is located at Beehive Mill in Ancoats, the former home of iconic nightclub Sankeys. The site has been redeveloped by Manchester-based regeneration specialists, Urban Splash.

The new facility will build on the Prince’s Trust’s existing presence in Greater Manchester and significantly increase support for unemployed young people in the area, connecting them with even more opportunities to develop the confidence and skills they need to get into work, education and training.

Plans for the centre were drawn up in collaboration with a young person-led design group to ensure the creation of a vibrant, inspirational and innovative space in which young people can connect and thrive.

The Manchester project follows the opening of new centres in Glasgow, Newcastle and Birmingham, and further demonstrates the charity’s vision to support young people in their local communities.

Founded by The Prince of Wales in 1976, the charity supports 11-to-30 year-olds who are unemployed, struggling at school and at risk of exclusion.

Many of the young people helped by the trust are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, or have been in trouble with the law. The programmes offered by the charity give vulnerable young people the practical and financial support needed to stabilise their lives, helping develop self-esteem and skills for work. Three in four young people supported by the Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training.

The trust says the launch of the new centre comes at a time when many young people in the area are feeling apprehensive about their future prospects.

Its 2019 Youth Index report, which measures the happiness and confidence of young people across the UK, revealed that more than a third of young people in Greater Manchester don’t feel in control of their lives and almost three quarters say their generation is less certain about future employment than their parents’ generation.

Clare Crabb, the Prince’s Trust regional director for the North of England, said: “We are thrilled to open the doors of this new centre in Manchester, which will enable us to increase the number of programmes we run in the heart of the city and across the region.

“At The Prince’s Trust, we believe that every young person should have the chance to succeed, and this flagship hub will give even more young people across Greater Manchester the opportunity to make the most of their talents and take the next steps in their education or career.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “To give every young person in Greater Manchester the chance to get ahead in life, employment opportunities and skills training has to be at the core of what we do.

“Organisations like The Prince’s Trust, with a track record of empowering young people to transform their lives, help enormously. This new centre is a really positive step for the region and I can’t wait to see the outcomes it brings.”

Doug Barrowman, the Scottish billionaire businessman and philanthropist whose partner is Baroness Michelle Mone, founder of the Ultimo lingerie company,  donated £2 million to the centre through The Barrowman Foundation.

He said: “The aim of the Foundation is to support charities that reach those young people within society who are most in need of support. I have been aware of the work of the Prince’s Trust for a long time now and our shared values make them an obvious fit.

“This new centre will enable the trust to give even more young people in Greater Manchester the chance of a better future and we are proud to be playing a part in that.”

Three in four young people supported by the Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training.

Lincoln House Chambers have been proud supporters of The Prince’s Trust since adopting the Charity as it’s main focus of support in 2017. In addition to an annual contribution, Lincoln House Chambers also provides regular sessions providing information on the legal industry and visits to the Manchester Courts to young people connected with the Prince’s Trust.