How a £2,000 contribution is helping Motivate Sussex provide hot meals across its three youth clubs

Motivate Sussex runs three free youth clubs for 10 to 18-year-olds across Hastings and St Leonards. Young people can take part in sport, cooking, arts and crafts, photography, wellbeing sessions and talks on issues including mental health and knife crime.

The clubs have also found themselves responding to growing pressure on families as food costs rise and household budgets become tighter. Providing a hot meal has become an important part of keeping young people healthy, settled and able to take part in the sessions.

To help keep the meals going, Fresh Visions, the charity behind Motivate Sussex, posted a request on Southern Housing’s Match My Project portal for food donations or supermarket vouchers.

McConnell responded with £2,000, which will help fund hot meals across the three clubs for six months.

A meal that supports the wider work

Over 250 young people are expected to benefit from the project. Sitting down for a meal gives young people time to talk with youth workers, build relationships and feel part of a safe community space.

Fresh Visions explained that knowing a nutritious meal will be available can reduce stress for young people and their families. The clubs also give youth workers opportunities to notice when someone may need additional support. Alongside food, the young people can take part in sports and creative activities, learn new skills, and join discussions around topics affecting their lives.

A straightforward match

McConnell fulfilled the request as part of its Social Value commitments with Southern Housing.

Julian Sanz, McConnell’s Director of Social Value, said the company was pleased to support the project after seeing the request on Match My Project.

Richard Sanz then visited the Downham Farm youth hub to present the £2,000 donation to Fresh Visions Project Coordinator Nicola Johnston, alongside Motivate Sussex youth workers Sarah Adams and Bev Jones.

Motivate Sussex described McConnell as a “great contractor” with “excellent communication”, while McConnell praised the charity for being easy to work with.

One match, with more to come

The relationship is already moving beyond the original request.

Alongside the £2,000 donation, McConnell has committed to supporting two more Motivate Sussex projects over the next three months.

As Julian Sanz put it, McConnell is “really looking forward to supporting more of their activities and initiatives in the near future.”

And this is where the relationship begins. 

About Match My Project

Match My Project connects community organisations with businesses through locally identified Social Value projects. Community organisations put forward what they need, while businesses can find opportunities where their resources, skills or funding can make a practical difference.

Find out more at hello@matchmyproject.org.