Fancy a slice of the £25,000 Swallowdale Children's Trust for your Blackpool, Fylde or Wyre community project? Here is how...

Now in its ninth year, the prize pot this time around will see the total handed out to help support young people across the Fylde coast since 2013 climb to more than £135,000.

And we want schools, community groups, sports clubs, charities and societies to take part and bid for a share of the cash.

The fund will be split between several winners who can show how the money will be spent to help young people.

Former winners of The Gazette’s Swallowdale giveaway have thrown their support behind this year’s £25,000 competition to help young people under the age of 25 across the Fylde coast.

Streetwise Youth Community in Warton, run by Gerry and Elaine Gregoire, scooped £10k in 2018 after impressing judges with its application.

The youth club, which is run from the former Ministry of Defence Army Welfare Centre in Butlers Meadow, won the cash to create a vegetable patch, upgrade its toilets, and create a counselling room.

Gerry said: “Part of the funding we received allowed us to market the club more and to a wider audience.

“We also bought a new colour printer which allowed us to promote our youth club events in Kirkham and Freckleton. The money really helped us and we recommend other groups apply.”

Each year, the trust hands out cash to schools, community groups, sports clubs, charities, and societies involved with young people on the Fylde coast.

People are invited to write in for a share of the money.

Trust chairman Nigel Law, inset, said he was delighted to run the contest again.

He said: “This giveaway will enable groups and individuals to make applications via The Gazette for a share of this substantial pot of money.

“This has been a difficult year for many young people and the trustees would like the applications we receive to reflect how the money will help them within the wider community as well as them selves.”

To apply for a grant, email us at [email protected] with Swallowdale in the subject field, or write to us at Swallowdale Children’s Trust Community Giveaway, The Gazette, 15 Olympic Court, Boardmans Way, Whitehills Business Park, Blackpool FY4 5GU to arrive no later than Friday, April 23.

Tell us how much grant you are applying for and how you would spend the money if successful. Add your name, address, name of organisation (if applicable), and a contact telephone number.

Standard Gazette competition rules apply. For further details, call (01253) 361709.

Terms and Conditions:

Applications from individuals must be supported by a letter from an independent person who can verify the veracity of the application.

Grants will be awarded either in the form of cash or vouchers at the discretion of Swallowdale Children’s Trust. Awards will be decided jointly by The Gazette and Swallowdale.

History of the trust

Swallowdale Children’s Trust has, for over 100 years, provided assistance to disadvantaged children and adults under the age of 25 years, living in the Blackpool Fylde and Wyre area.

This trust was set up on the death of a Miss Sarah Massey who by her will left money towards the funding of an orphanage in Blackpool. With the assistance of a ladies committee fund raising took place and in 1914 an orphanage was opened at 121 Talbot Road Blackpool. The first matron was a Miss Swallow, after whom the trust was renamed. Until 1960, the trustees ran the orphanage entirely supported by voluntary contributions and investments. Then the trustees purchased land on Hornby Road Blackpool and opened a new home on that land, The Swallowdale Children’s Home.

This home is now run by Blackpool Council as a respite home for a small number of children. The trust continues to meet written applications supported by independent or professional third parties, which establish a need as opposed to a desirability.

The Trustees grant assistance by payments to third parties or by issue of vouchers for, by way of example, new beds and bedding for children whose parents have lost their homes, clothing grants to young people, safety equipment in a home to protect young children, part payment of nursery or training fees. In addition the Trustees have supported applications from local groups including Homestart and Surestart, Life education Centres, MOSAC and Lancashire Outward Bound Association, as well as giving £100,000 in grants to Gazette readers since 2013.