Steve Brine is backing a little-known charity with its roots firmly based in Winchester, which has launched a national campaign championing young people to make a difference in their communities.
The Public Service Broadcasting Trust, from its offices in St Thomas Street, uses popular mass media to mobilise people into taking positive social action. It created 'Fixers' in 2008 to offer young people in the south of England the opportunity to undertake campaigns about issues that concern them, highlighting their achievements in features within ITV regional news.
Now, thanks to a grant of £7.2m from the Big Lottery Fund, the Trust is extending Fixers throughout the UK, and aims to build a national movement of young people changing things for the better.
Local MP Steve Brine said: "Fixers is a real success story that is offering something unique to young people around the country," "I am very proud that it started here in Winchester. As well as benefitting the city's young people it is giving employment to 25 people in its Winchester offices. I am delighted to be hosting a parliamentary reception for Fixers in Westminster in February next year."
After a break of more than a year, Fixers was relaunched on ITV on Thursday 4th October, with items in Meridian Tonight. The event was marked by a reception in the Trust's offices attended by Winchester City and Hampshire councillors, youth charities, broadcasters and a number of local young people who are benefitting from Fixers.
Gradually, more ITV regions will carry Fixers features, until by the spring of 2013 16 features will be shown simultaneously around the UK on the first Thursday of each month and continue on a regular basis. The Fixers features are made by the Fixers Broadcast Team in a unique relationship with ITV.
Fixers invites 16 to 25-year-olds to address any issue they feel strongly about. How they tackle it is up to them – as long as they benefit someone else. They are supported to create the resources they need to make their chosen project a success, with creative help from media professionals to make their own promotional material, such as films, websites or print work.
Margo Horsley, Chief Executive of PSBT, said: "Fixers started in 2008 as just an idea... an idea given a voice by some 5,500 young people over the past four years. They have reached thousands of people with their work, on a national stage as well as in and around where they live. They choose the full array of social and health issues facing society today and set about making their mark. Their ideas can be challenging, inspirational and often life changing."
Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund UK Chair, said: "The Big Lottery Fund is extremely happy to be supporting Fixers to engage with more young people to change things for the better. Thousands of public-spirited young people across the UK are campaigning to make improvements in their own communities. By providing a platform to highlight their voluntary work and many achievements, Fixers demonstrates the positive contribution thousands of committed young people are making at a local level and challenges negative stereotypes."
Pictured; the Fixers cake was made by Jo Kerr, wife of one of the Young People's Coordinators
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