Our 2025 Wish List!
Posted on 7th January 2025 at 08:19
Happy New Year from everyone at Futureworks NY!
As we welcome in 2025, we are full of energy and inspiration as we prepare for another year of helping young people and adults in Scarborough.
The last of the mince pies have now been eaten, and rather than ‘resolutions’, the Futureworks team have a ‘wish list’ for 2025, which is nothing if not varied!
Keep reading for our wish list as YOU could help make it happen!
A wish of a different kind
We like to ‘wish’ all our team Happy Birthday!
On Saturday 4th January 2025, Futureworks became a teenager … yes that’s right, we turned thirteen and we can’t believe it either.
As with many businesses which gain momentum as they grow, Futureworks had small beginnings.
Back in 2012, we had just one contract; we had two founders (Michelle and Sarah); it was predicted that our business would last just six months, and no more.
We are so glad to say this statement was wrong, thanks to the many people, businesses and organisations who’ve helped us along the way.
We are proud to say we now employ ten staff, have six amazing volunteers, and we are now a charity with three trustees.
Since we started in 2012, we have helped over 1,200 individuals get their lives back on track and in some cases, find their dream jobs and careers.
There is a phrase that states: follow your dreams, which of course we all want and hope to do.
Yet, we like to think we help create dreams which young people and adults can follow thanks to the bespoke support we provide.
Our team helps deliver all these elements of Futureworks throughout the year in our offices, workshop and learning space.
These are all based in the heart of Scarborough (Victoria Road) where we help over one hundred people a year at this busy site, helping them to get their lives into gear.
Our premises are located in a historic property (as many properties are in Scarborough), and one of our projects has been to help make this learning environment warm and welcoming.
In 2024, thanks to the fantastic New Tavern football team, we were kept warm (and therefore productive) thanks to the team supplying two heaters for our learners’ classroom space, The Loft.
The footie squad paid for the heaters from their Tote money and as per our Facebook posts,
we were super grateful to one of our team, Youth Development Key Worker Lee, for helping make this happen. Lee also plays for the New Tavern football team … FA Cup, here we come!
As with any business premises that are also used as learning spaces, we are looking to continually improve the environment in which those ‘seeds’ that become ‘dreams’ are sown.
So, if anyone is reading this, we really, really need a kitchen sink and some kitchen cupboards. If you can help, please get in touch.
On a bigger scale, our premises require new windows.
We have a problem with ‘steamy windows’, condensation and moisture and our current glazed installations are also poor in terms of energy efficiency.
As with any building that is seeking to help reduce its carbon footprint, and therefore become greener, getting this to happen includes some major work and new windows would be a huge help both in the short term and for the future.
As we know, windows can be expensive … two local companies, the Scarborough Window Centre and East Coast Window Doctor have already put their best foot forward and are willing to supply the 12 windows we require.
The windows vary in size and therefore cost, starting from around £330 to £850 per window.
If you are a business that is looking to find affordable and visible local sponsorship, this could be your chance!
Businesses can sponsor a window or windows which hundreds of people pass or see each day.
You may recall we made a commitment in 2024 to help raise £50,000 for the work we do here at Futureworks.
To quickly recap, we set our own goal of £50,000 which we are in the process of raising which in turn will become our ‘freedom funding’.
The funding means we have the freedom to be flexible for our learners’ needs and requirements.
In turn, this will mean we are less reliant on ‘tied’ funding, enabling us to be readily responsive to those who need support, help and encouragement.
We are also still collecting tombola gifts for future events.
We named this one the Gift It appeal and now we are post-Christmas, you can now donate those unwanted or duplicate gifts in a guilt-free way!
This will, in turn, help us to raise even more funds for Futureworks.
Examples of how we use those donated items included attending the Scarborough Sparkle in December 2024 during which we ran a successful tombola.
Or you can pop along to Furniture Works in St Thomas Street, where you will find an eclectic range of bespoke furniture, gifts, accessories and more.
Many of these items have been created, made or refurbished by our learners.
They create something truly special which is helpful in many ways: our learners acquire skills and experience; they gain a sense of well-being; their outlook on life becomes more positive.
Team Goals
One of our goals is to help more people each year.
Our wish list will help make this happen, as each ‘wish’ dovetails with another, creating a cohesive ‘whole’ here in Scarborough.
You can help us ins some many ways …
Other ways you can help
🛍 Buying something from our shop in person or online
📍 39, St Thomas Street
🖥️ Shop here!
☕ Grabbing a coffee on the go 👉🏻 39, St Thomas Street
Tagged as: Wish List 2025
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