Carlisle Youth Zone - just around the corner on Victoria Place - opened in 2011 and provides a fun and safe place for young people to grow, make friends, learn new skills and get support.
We welcome over 1,000 young people every week, all of whom engage entirely voluntarily, and offer upwards of 10 different activities every night. Clubs are open six nights a week from 6.30pm – with a range of clubs operating on a Saturday.
Junior Club is perfectly timed to mean that you can enjoy the activity – then head straight down to Brunton Park in time for kick off. Membership is just £5 per year with a 50p entry charge – which covers everything that we have on offer – including extensive sports facilities, a climbing wall, a fully equipped gym, a state of the art music studio, arts / crafts, gaming and virtual reality systems and hot, affordable, nutritious food (generally about £1 for a meal) every session.
The young people love what we have on offer – parents enjoy the respite knowing that the young people are safe, well looked after and entertained. We are very lucky to have the Youth Zone in Carlisle – it is unique.
This weekend we celebrate the relationship between the Youth Zone and Carlisle United, which is growing ever stronger, both working hard to build a better future for the young people of Carlisle.
The Carlisle stars are regular visitors to the Youth Zone – but it was a special night on 14 January when the whole first team surprised 180 of our Junior Club (that’s 7 to 12 year olds) by joining the club for the evening and getting involved in everything going on – from pool to dodgeball, pizza to clay sculpture.
Perhaps the highlight was a question and answer session where star-struck youngsters didn’t hold back – before taking the chance to pose for a multitude of selfies with their heroes.
On Saturday, a lucky few of those young people live the dream as they get to share the same pitch at half time for their own mini-tournament. Please look out for them and cheer them on. They are all very excited about the opportunity.
They include:
Harrison: “I’m super happy and super amazed - shocked. I never thought it would happen and it is a very nice thing. Thanks Nathan and Simon (the two youth workers from the Youth Zone who you will also be able to see on the pitch).”
Joe: “Wow – surprised, excited, shocked, shattered and happy. Thank you Carlisle United.”
Summer (your mascot for the Cambridge game): “I’m happy, surprised, shocked and speechless. And this is so kind. Thank you for letting me be the mascot.”
The Youth Zone is a small and local charity, entirely dependent on the generosity of benefactors, and the money we can bring into the city from the people who recognise the fantastic work that is done – most recently Children in Need who will be funding some of our work over the next three years.
Some of the many local business supporters of the Youth Zone will be with the CYZ Chairman, Chris Holmes of Carrs Group this weekend.
He is an enthusiastic backer of the relationship: “I cannot say how pleased I am to see the Youth Zone and Football Club working so closely together, and I am looking forward to the relationship growing as we raise aspiration for both, and work hard to transform the lives of Carlisle’s young people.”
Already, about a quarter of local young people engage with the Youth Zone, but membership is open to all aged 7-19.
Anyone at the match on Saturday can get free membership of the Carlisle Youth Zone if they bring their match ticket with them ...
... and be in the next group to meet the players!
