Local Pembrokeshire community group - The Yaki-Da Boi Project - based in Narberth has welcomed being awarded almost £20k in National Lottery funding to support its work with young people in Pembrokeshire, to help them make positive choices in their lives, towards addressing drug and alcohol consumption.
The organization will use the money to run education workshops and outdoor challenges to encourage young people and support them
The Yaki-Da Boi Project has been running since January 2024 and is staffed by a Campaign Lead and is also actively recruiting volunteers.
It was founded by Clare Sturman after the tragic loss of her son Sam to suicide. Sam had been using cocaine and it had had a detrimental effect on his mental health resulting in his suicide on September 21, 2023.
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The Yaki-Da Boi Project now runs regular drop in sessions on the last Thursday of every month at the Queens Hall between 5 and 8pm, and has completed a number of outdoor challenges including the Saundersfoot New Years Day Swim and the ‘Narberth Nobbler’ as part of the October Moving Challenge that saw over 50 people take on a running challenge of 28, 90 or 135 miles throughout the month.
The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will see our drop in sessions expanded to other areas, it will allow the project to produce and deliver 24 workshops in schools, youth groups and rugby clubs.
At the same time, The Yaki-Da Boi Project will be able to expand on its outdoor challenges to include a mini triathlon, expand its sea dipping sessions with the West Coast Chilly Peckers, and create workshops for parents on speaking openly about drug and alcohol consumption with their teenage and young adult children.
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Founder Clare Sturman said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to reach so many more young people in Pembrokeshire that are struggling with their drug or alcohol consumption.
“This is important because recreational drugs and social drinking has such an impact on young people these days, many do not understand the risks or the devastating impact that this behavior can have on their mental health,” she added.
The National Lottery Community Fund recently launched its strategy ‘It starts with community’ - which will underpin its efforts to distribute at least £4 billion of National Lottery funding by 2030.
As part of this, the funder has four key missions, which are to support communities to come together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.
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National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK.
To find out more visit the website: www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk
You can find out more on the project on Facebook at: Yaki-Da Boi Project