£5000 boost for Newtown Youth Centre eco building plans
Newtown Youth Centre’s plans for an eco friendly building project to house an educational facility for young people have received a £5,000 boost from a newly formed trust dedicated to helping coastal and fishing communities.
Coastal Marine Trust, which was established last year, selected this project to receive its first grant because it fulfilled its key criteria, which is to enhance the quality of life for those living in Britain’s coastal communities.
Rob Grimmond of Coastal Marine Trust presents the cheque to Newtown Youth Centre 
Newtown Youth Centre will use the money to undertake a viability study for the project, which includes plans for a state of the art eco friendly building serving as both an educational centre for children who need help beyond the main frame of modern education and a facility to promote renewable energy and recycling to future generations.
The Centre’s Building coordinator, Carl Harding said the viability study is the first step in preparing a bid for the Lottery Commission and will be undertaken within the next six months, this is fantastic for the children and will help us move the project towards the next level.
“The grant from Coastal Marine Trust is a huge step forward in getting this project off the drawing board and turning it into a reality,” Mr Harding said. “The new centre in Jellicoe Road, was designed by children who currently use an old trailer as their clubhouse, and would be the only one of its type in the UK with a grass and flower roof to prevent heat escaping and keep carbon emissions low.”
Coastal Marine Trust funds come from a percentage of every project undertaken by marine cable management company, Offshore Marine Management, which works with clients in the offshore renewable, subsea telecoms and oil and gas industries.
Offshore Marine Managing Director, Rob Grimmond said the Trust was established to ensure the company gives something back to the communities in which they work. Work was awarded to OMM by their clients EON & Vesta’s on the Scroby Sands Offshore Windfarm.
“We feel strongly that companies need to be socially responsible in what they do, not just what they say,” Mr Grimmond said.
“Its very rewarding to be able to help deserving organisations such as Newtown Youth Centre and we are hopeful this money will help set them on the path to building their fantastic eco centre.”
Newtown Youth Centre was also a recipient of funding as one of the Mayor’s charities earlier this year when Council Paul Garrod handed his chain of office to the present Mayor