2022 ANNUAL REPORT

19 COMMUNITY REPORT Our Positive Futures initiative, supporting young people aged between eight and 19 who are at risk of social exclusion, has now expanded beyond Rushcliffe to include areas of the city in its remit, thanks to funding from the Police & Crime Commis- sioner and SevernTrentWater. These are areas of differing demo- graphics and challenges – so while our aim remains to provide one- to-one support and chart a course back towards a permanent return to mainstream education, the methods and techniques required to do so differ vastly. Our work in the city centre, for example, encompasses a focus on reducing the kind of youth violence which has become all too prevalent in those areas – a task which cannot be underestimated, but which brings its own rewards. The Trust’s presence in inner-city Nottingham has been expanded further by the continuing growth of the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme, memorably champi- oned by Marcus Rashford in 2021. HAF now operates at Basford United, Melbourne Park and Haydn Road, reaching over 200 young people per day during school holidays. With around half of parents with children on free school meals already worried about feeding them in the school holidays before this year’s financial squeeze, the meals provided at these sessions can be invaluable – as can the education given on healthy living and the opportunity to take part in sports, such as cricket, that they may never have tried before. Physical activity and education on how to stay healthy form the basis of the Healthy Hearts courses delivered to primary school children, which also now incorporate information on the mental health benefits of exercise and key First Aid techniques.We’ve also welcomed pupils back to our venue as the restrictions imposed by the pandemic finally relented in full, with over 30 schools engaging in cricket-inspired learning via the Trent Bridge Classroom programme. With over a decade of success now behind the team at the Trust, its latest initiatives have focused on young people who have traditionally been harder to reach – with their age, ethnicity or circumstances often demanding a fresh approach. The Trust’s operation of the Virtual Schools Mentoring project com- menced in October 2022, providing one-to-one support to 20 young people who are currently living in care – some of whom have expe- rienced significant trauma in their young lives. Our mentors, funded by Nottingham City Council, act as relatable role models to learn from and an outlet via which to discuss any concerns they may have, and form part of a wider support network responsible for championing their education. Engaging mid-teens in the kinds of activities offered by theTrust has long been a challenge, with their burgeoning independence and “WITH OVER A DECADE OF SUCCESS NOW BEHIND THE TRUST, ITS LATEST INITIATIVES HAVE FOCUSED ON YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN HARDER TO REACH.” Tim Eatherington “OUR POSITIVE FUTURES INITIATIVE, SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN EIGHT AND 19 WHO ARE AT RISK OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION, HAS NOW EXPANDED BEYOND RUSHCLIFFE TO INCLUDE AREAS OF THE CITY.” Tim Eatherington