Manchester skatepark on track for £75k crowdfunding

A crowdfunding drive by a Manchester skatepark has been extended after a late flurry of donations.

Projekts MCR set a £50,000 target over a month, up to November 13, to fund expansion of its site beneath the Mancunian Way.

But following £12,000 of last-minute donations organisers have extended the deadline to December 1, in a bid to raise £75,000.

The not-for-profit co-operative and community benefit society, is looking to use the funds to create a vibrant community space for local young people and their families.

So far the community share offer has attracted almost 50 investors from across the city.

Individual investors have donated between £100 and £3,400 each.

A number of larger organisations have also contributed, including local provider of housing and community services One Manchester who donated £5,000 as part of its ongoing CSR programme, and North West-based social housing provider Onward Homes housing who also donated £5,000.

Plus, Co-operatives UK have agreed to match all funding received, doubling the pot.

Anton Schultz, social investment manager at One Manchester, said: “We’re delighted to help Projekts get over that 50% mark towards their funding goal.

“This project fits really well with our social priorities, as they share our focus on engaging young people in the communities we operate in, providing them with a social space, and creating a skate park which has capacity for all users, of all abilities.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to invest alongside other supporters in a sustainable community business that will have a long term impact.”

Rosie Longden, social investment manager at Onward Homes, added: “Investing in Projekts is really important to us as it serves so many of the communities we work with.

“Being able to be part of its expansion and enabling Projekts to work with even more youngsters in the area is really important to us and our community.

“It is a brilliant long-term investment for the local community and we are really pleased to be able to help them to get even closer to their fundraising goal.

The skatepark is in one of the most deprived areas in England, with eight council wards that fall within the 10% most deprived in the country within a two mile radius of the park.

For the past five years Projekts MCR has seen skatepark attendance shoot up with the creation of female-only classes, adult classes and reaching more than 3,000 children a year through skateboard coaching classes.

John Haines, Projekts MCR chief executive, said: “In recent years we have seen a real appetite from the community to support the vital work we do.

“They are as passionate as we are about offering a positive space for Manchester’s children and young people to thrive and we feel that offering them a chance to actually own part of the organisation as it grows is the best way to say thank you and deliver on our commitment to help more and more people.”

Close