Summerzone 2020 is now on!

This year summerzone is supported by the co-op!

Come and get involved with the fun! Free packed lunches for the children, courtsey of Homeless Aid UK, a huge thank you to Billa for setting this up.

Summerzone is an innovative project for children aged 5-18 that we have run for the past 19 years, it is one of our most popular annual events. Designed to run during the school holidays, it would be ideal for children from families with low incomes from Halliwell and surrounding areas. The project will be advertised across our social media platforms as well as across our contacts and networks to inform children who otherwise may not have the opportunities that we offer here at Harmony. We are open Monday – Friday (9-3pm) at our youth and media centre in Halliwell, Bolton and will provide a range of activities for young people delivered by a professional youth workers and volunteers. The day would consist of a morning and afternoon session and would feature Open access to: Pool/Ping Pong/Table Football competitions, Big Screen Movies & Xbox, Circuit Training, Indoor Ball Games, Karaoke and DJ Workshops, Music production tutoring, with a professional producer. Live instrument tuition including Guitar, Piano drums and percussion training. 

All activities are carried out by professional experienced fully DBS certified staff.

Halliwell is one of Bolton’s most deprived wards in Europe, with large numbers of low-income or single parent families who struggle affording a provision for their child during the summer holidays and taking time off work is not always an option, Summerzone would remedy this.

 Summerzone confronts:

  • Low income based & single parent families in Halliwell – might not be in a position to send their child to a provision of this nature
  • Lack of activities for young people to do over the 6 week holidays, particularly ones that are affordable
  • Lack of positive reinforcement and role models
  • Lack of social skills, Don’t feel like they are part of the community or can contribute positively
  • Young people will have somewhere safe, supervised and secure to go in the day during the holidays when they are out of school and will not be on the streets bored and at risk of behaving negatively.
  • Young people will get access to a multitude of activities and will be able to use this time to develop socially and work on projects as part of a team.
  • New skills they learn could spark an interest and could look to develop it further

Young people remain in a structured environment, while not as strictly structured as a school environment we feel that maintaining a structure is very important for the development young people.

ABC Project

We are running our brand new ABC project which offers a step by step course in assisting people back into suitable work, this will be a bespoke project by tailoring your needs and developing a personal development plan for you, no pressure, work at your speed, interesting and fun aspects to looking for work, not just CV writing or jobsearch, please drop us a line if interested.

(also see our “back to work page” under projects on the home page)

EU Social Fund
WEA

Introducing Sophie Jones

Sophie visited our centre and we realised what a great talent she has, Sophie has a fantastic voice but also writes her own songs. Sophie has experienced bullying and she wrote a song dedicated to the theme, we pulled out the camera and put together an interview and music video.

We are so proud of Sophie and you can checkout her videos as part of our Children in need project below:

Please like and share Sophie’s videos over on YouTube and lets help her career take off 🙂

Tommy’s Q Club

Our resident DJ and rapper Tommy is building up the attendance figures rapidly on our Friday Q Club, where we have lots of fun, singing, dancing, playing pool, munchies and chilling out. Our Q Club every Friday 6:30 – 9:00 with a two pound entrance fee for 8-13 year olds, parents of course are welcome.

Charity Golf Event

Thank you all so much for attending our 1st Charity Golf day. On behalf of myself and all the Prestfield Partners we would like to thank you for your generosity. The money raised will go to help Harmony Youth Project along with the matched funds from the ST James’s Place Charitable Foundation going to other worthy causes across the country.

Liam Hunt DipPFS Cert CII (MP)

Partner & Head of Client Relationships

Prestfield Wealth Management LLP

430 Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester.

Longsight Women’s Institute

Charlie Barrett receiving the cheque from Kath Hynes.

We were delighted to receive a cheque for £275 raised by selling Cakes, crafts, jewellery and a chocolate Raffle from the Longsight Women’s Institute. Mr Charlie Barrett received the cheque and said a few words in appreciation, the cheque was presented by Mrs Kath Hynes. Charlie said ” It was a pleasure to meet this group of ladies who support the community in so many ways, they are so inspirational with their hands on work, they have a serious agenda but also a great sense of humour and fun”

If you have an interest in Longsight Women’s Institute please take a look at their website http://www.lswi.btck.co.uk/

Hey! We’re in the newspaper again!

(Link to article)

Pupils at St Ethelberts RC Primary School in Deane produced and star in the ten minute short entitled “Stings” with help from The Harmony Youth Project to help children recognise bad friendships in everyday life and on line.

Children from Years Five and Six wrote the film and were involved in directing, filming, lighting and audio recording.

And as part of the project, which they worked on a hour a week over seven months, children tool part in a group discussion about the dangers of chat rooms and online interaction.

Mandy Messham, headteacher at St Ethelberts said “Working closely with the Harmony Youth Project has provided our children with such an exciting opportunity – it’s not every day that St. Ethelbert’s pupils have the chance to be film stars!

An added bonus is that the children were able to use their talents to highlight such key messages regarding the importance of fostering positive relationships and using social media safely. The entire school community was so impressed by the finished outcome.”

The whole school along with parents viewed the premier showing where copies of the film and award certificates were presented to the proud group by Halliwell based Harmony Youth Project CEO Charlie Barrett at Harmony.

Project co-ordinator George Ellis said “the children and staff at St Ethelberts are a delight to work with and I’m extremely proud of their group work in delivering this project.

The whole school along with parents viewed the premier showing where copies of the film and award certificates were presented to the proud group by CEO Charlie Barrett at Harmony.

Portable Recording Studio!

Our portable recording studio project is progressing well, we have had five young people who we have visited to record their vocals to tracks. Our portable studio includes professional microphone, headphones, speakers, audi interface and logic pro x on our Macbook pro.

If you would like to have a home recording and have difficulty in visiting our main studio then please drop us a message, we will see if we can come out to you. This service is free of charge and allows equality to all.

We would like to thank Cash for Kids, Bluespark, Rank and Lady Neville for their donations.

Clarion Housing project

Clarion Housing one of the largest UK housing organisations provide funding for a variety of projects ranging from how to combat anti social behaviour, to education and providing a more cohesive community. Harmony Youth Project was excited to be awarded one of their projects in providing computer skills to those who are new to using a computer. After our computer course, Clarion have used our feedback from the course as an example for future recipients of projects funded by Clarion.