£1.2 million donated towards upcoming Crewe town centre Youth Zone development

By Ryan Parker

25th Oct 2023 | Local News

Philanthropists, Julia and Hans Rausing, have donated £2.5 million to charities based in Cheshire, including a huge £1.2 million towards Crewe's new Youth Zone development.

The donations have been made to 19 charities providing support across youth care, education, disability, welfare and restoration.

These grants continue the couple's support of the region and reflect Julia Rausing's long family affiliation with Cheshire East.

Philanthropists, Julia and Hans Rausing, have donated £1.2 million towards Crewe's new Youth Zone development (OnSide).

The largest donation, of £1.2 million, will be made to Crewe Youth Zone, which is building a new youth centre on Oak Street Car Park.

The funds will help support the first three year's running costs of the youth centre and will create up to 70 full and part-time jobs and up to 100 volunteering opportunities.

Crewe Youth Zone is expected to be completed in spring 2025 and will be open seven days a week to young people aged between eight and 19.

Members will have access to an indoor climbing wall, a four-court sports hall, a training kitchen and a music room with a recording studio.

There will also be a fully-equipped gym, dance and drama studio, a 3G sports pitch, an arts and crafts room, and an enterprise and employability suite.

Once opened, Crewe Youth Zone will be part of the OnSide Network of Youth Zones supporting more than 50,000 young people nationwide.

The £1.2 million donation will help support the first three year's running costs of Crewe Youth Zone (Onside).

Trustee of Crewe Youth Zone, Joëlle Warren, told Nub News: "Crewe Youth Zone is profoundly grateful for the extraordinarily generous gift of £1.2 million from Julia and Hans Rausing and for their past support during the pandemic.

"This generous donation will initiate a Founder Patron campaign designed to achieve long-term sustainability, ensuring Crewe Youth Zone will be an asset to the community and transforming young people's lives for generations to come.

"We warmly welcome them as our first Cornerstone Patron and greatly look forward to them being a partner in our journey."

In Crewe, donations have also been made to St Paul's Centre, Wishing Well Project and Motherwell Cheshire charity, based on Beech drive.

In a joint statement, Julia and Hans Rausing said: "Cheshire bears great significance to our family, which is why we have chosen to partner with these 19 charities in the region, all rooted in their local communities.

"These grants cover a broad range of charities to help those most in need across Cheshire.

Crewe Youth Zone will be built on Oak Street Car Park, creating up to 70 full and part-time jobs and up to 100 volunteering opportunities (Ryan Parker).

"Supporting the new Youth Zone in Crewe will provide young people with a new state-of-the-art facility and will help develop vital skills for life".

The full list of selected charities in Cheshire are: