On Sunday 2nd March, four of London’s OnSide Youth Zones – Legacy Youth Zone in Croydon, Unitas Youth Zone in Barnet, WEST Youth Zone in Hammersmith & Fulham, and Future Youth Zone in Barking & Dagenham – will take on an inspiring cycling challenge as part of their ambitious 36-hour crowdfunding campaign, London Without Limits. Their goal: to raise an incredible £800,000 to support thousands of young people across the capital.
Pedalling for a Purpose
Supporters and team members will embark on a 65.7 mile cycling challenge, riding between all four Youth Zones based in the north, south, east and west of London. This tough journey will help raise essential funds to help give young Londoners somewhere to go, something to do, and someone to talk to.
Meanwhile, Youth Zone members will also be doing their part, collectively cycling the same distance in the club’s state-of-the-art gyms during session, ensuring that everyone plays a role in this mission to secure vital funding.
The Need for Youth Zones
Youth Zones are a lifeline for thousands of young people, offering life-changing opportunities in safe, inspiring environments. Whether it’s access to sports, arts, cooking, mental health support, or mentoring, these spaces empower young people to build confidence, skills, and friendships – all for just 50p per visit.
However, to keep delivering these essential services, they need urgent support from the public. OnSide Youth Zones are made possible through the donations of businesses and the general public; without the Youth Zones, young people are experiencing heightened levels of loneliness and spend most of their time on their phones. A recent study by OnSide found that 76% of young people spend most of their free time on screens.
Chris, Senior Legacy Youth Zone Member, says “Before coming to Legacy (Youth Zone), I was very shy and even talking to people or doing work with them at school and in class was something I found hard. I always felt scared of talking and even though my social anxiety is something I still feel, it is a lot less now. My parents are proud of me for coming to Legacy and they feel as if I can finally socialise more and stop avoiding talking to other people.”
30% of youth clubs in London closed between 2010 and 2019 as a result of cuts to local authority funding, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. This has left thousands of young people without a safe space to go, making the work of London OnSide Youth Zones more critical than ever.
Legacy Youth Zone CEO, Myke Catterall, says “Contributing towards the London Without Limits Crowdfunder as a donor or champion is the crucial support we need to continue giving the young people of London the opportunity and a safe place to discover their full potential. Legacy, WEST, Future and Unitas Youth Zones rely on voluntary donations for 85% of our funding, therefore any contribution, big or small, makes a huge difference.”
How You Can Help
The four London Youth Zones need Londoners to step up, get involved, and make a difference. There are two powerful ways to support the London Without Limits campaign:
- Donate: Every pound counts! Your contribution will directly fund Youth Zone activities and support services, helping young people thrive. (Every donation will automatically be doubled by our match funder at no extra cost to you!)
- Become a Champion: Help the youth zones spread the word by signing up as a campaign champion. Share the fundraiser with your network, rally support, and help unlock vital donations.
With just 36 hours to reach their £800,000 goal, they need a city-wide effort to show young people that London truly is a city without limits.
“At Modulr, we want to combine the energy, efforts and fundraising capability of our whole team to get maximum support for the London Without Limits Campaign. As a business, we’ve chosen to encourage our people to do this by matching every pound they raise, giving them an extra incentive to help the next generation and make a difference.” says Modulr, WEST Youth Zone patron.
Join the Movement
Don’t wait – sign up as a Champion and get ready to donate on the 2nd March. Visit https://www.charityextra.com/londonwithoutlimits to learn more and be part of something transformational for young Londoners.
