£40,000 funding aids delivery of winter activities to young people

A community interest company has successfully delivered winter activities to young people in eight venues around Birmingham after receiving funding in excess of £40,000.

5UP sets out to provide activities and social benefits to people across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands - with activities including Thai boxing, boxing, mixed martial arts and gym-based sessions.

The organisation has been delivering winter programmes at eight venues across the city after being awarded funds exceeding £40,000 by StreetGames.

All of the venues are fully equipped martial arts gyms.

StreetGames were commissioned by Birmingham City Council to manage the programme to deliver quality holiday clubs offering free physical activities, food and enrichment opportunities for school aged children across Birmingham.

The programme has seen 5UP engage more than 500 young people over eight days.

One of the aims was to provide free breakfast and lunch for all the young people who attended the venues.

During the summer school holidays 5UP and its sister company 9UP were also funded by StreetGames to provide for more than 400 young people over a 16-day period.

Over the summer, 5UP purchased four defibrillators from Fastaids who, alongside West Midlands Ambulance service, delivered first aid training to all 5Up sites.

Tim Cronin , of West Midlands Ambulance service, said of the training: “The West Midlands Ambulance Service in partnership with volunteer Community First Responder charity 'Fastaid ' taught Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Defibrillator use to over 330 young people during the summer HAF programme at 5UP, 9UP, WOWdot, BYSA and Holte School.

“In the UK there is only a one in 10 chance of survival from an out of hospital cardiac arrest. Therefore, it 's important that young people learn these skills and have the confidence to perform CPR and use a defibrillator.

“Every minute that passes the chances of survival decrease by 10 per cent, so the sooner CPR is started, and a defibrillator is used, the chances of survival significantly increase.

“It was great to see all the young people being interested in learning and having a willingness to give it a go. ”

Pictured: First aid training was delivered as part of 5UP 's programme