Damien Moore MP welcomes £150,000 Government investment into The Atkinson and Waterside Lodge

Local Member of Parliament, Damien Moore, welcomes the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) announcement of a £150,000 Youth Investment Fund (YIF), with funds being provided to the Atkinson and Sefton North District Scouts Waterside Lodge. The YIF fund will be used to upgrade and refurbish educative and sporting facilities to support recreational opportunities and accessibility across Southport. 

On February 3rd, 2024, DCMS announced the third tranche of YIF funding, which will provide over £90 million to rebuild or refurbish 140 projects across the country. 

The Youth Investment Fund represents a £300,000 fund for rebuilding or renovating up to 300 youth facilities over the next two years, with the aim of supporting an additional 45,000 young people per year to access youth facilities. 

The objective of YIF is to create, expand, and improve local youth facilities and their services, with the aim of driving positive outcomes for young people, including improved mental and physical wellbeing, and skills for life and work. 

DCMS’s YIF funding will provide £125,793.00 to The Atkinson to refurbish their educative facilities, enabling 40 additional pupils per year. £25,200.00 will also be provided to Sefton North District Scouts Waterside Lodge, to renovate and expand facilities for an additional 8 attendees annually.

Commenting, Local Member of Parliament for Southport, Damien Moore, said: 

“The Government has a strong record on raising skills and literacy across the UK, with fluency, literature, and numeracy increasing dramatically under Conservative stewardship. 

“I remain steadfast in fulfilling our ambitious commitment to achieving the 90% schooling compliance in providing; and exceeding, expected reading, writing, and mathematical standards by 2030. 

“I welcome DCMS’ complementary Stage 3 YIF investment into Southport’s Atkinson and Waterside Lodge; continuing and reinforcing my longstanding campaign to improve Children’s educational and healthcare services across Southport.”