Darwen woman helping the youth of Mill Hill with a grant

Chantelle Louise Baldwin-Miller, 35, from Darwen, has been running a Young People’s Recognition project alongside Blackburn Rovers Community Trust to help keep youths out of trouble and bring something nice to the community.

After discussing the trouble some youths were causing Chantelle and a few other businesses came together and applied for a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to help youths in the area – she decided to give the grant to Mill Hill Youth Club – and so far, it has been a huge success.

Chantelle said: “Running the Young People's Recognition Project alongside Blackburn Rovers Community Trust has been very successful, and the young people have been amazing, grateful, and engaged really well with all the opportunities and experiences the National Lottery Community Trust grant has created for them.

Activities have been provided throughout the year including music (Image: Chantelle Baldwin-Miller)

“They have had a youth club going for years but when lockdown happened and there was some unacceptable behaviour going on, they decided to pause the club.

“I run my business in the area and spoke to a few other business owners and we said something needs to be done with these youths, so we all put our heads together and decided to set up a project and this was before I knew there was a youth club.

“We decided to go to the National Lottery Fund and apply for a grant and after being successful and finding out there was a youth club in the area, we invested the grant into the club and it has worked really well, providing this money giving them activities to do, it has been really good.

• Also read: Full list of East Lancs finalists in Tourism Awards 2023

“Before, you were getting a few in causing trouble but now they seem to be respecting it, so it has worked really well.

“The Blackburn Rovers Community Trust will be carrying on with the club now after the investment and so far we have done loads, we have introduced music sessions, I do nails and beauty myself so I teach and I have been doing nails and beauty workshops which they have loved, we have had a Jamie Oliver cooking programme where they get an accredited certificate at the end, gift making, sports and other games for them to enjoy.

“They have had quite a lot from the grant, and they do seem appreciative of it as well.

Activities include sport (Image: Chantelle Baldwin-Miller)

“Since we have spent this grant on the youth club, the community centre said they can’t believe how little incidents there has been.

“The youth club has always been there, but we have invested this grant into the club since January this year and the grant is due to end in September, but the youth club will carry on.

“It is not only helping youths now, but also it is helping them going into the future even when the grant runs out.

“We created a charity called Young People's Recognition and it was given to the community, it has gone a long way.

“Everyone was complaining about what youths were doing but they weren’t doing anything to actually help them so that is why we set up the charity.

• Also read: New roller rink coming to Rawtenstall this bank holiday weekend

“I am grateful to have been able to share my skills with the young people and offer them certificated works shops in nails and beauty.

“Along with other local business owners and people in the community I hope to be able to do more work like this for deprived communities in the future.

“Thanks to the Lottery Fund and Mill Hill Community Centre, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust staff and everyone who has got involved for making it all happen.

“All we wanted to do was help youths and keep them out of trouble.

“Hopefully it is onwards and upwards for the area.”

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @chloewjourno.