JTYAF trustees and ambassadors meeting 2024 - courtesy of Emily

At our meeting on Saturday the Trustees of the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) allocated £85,000 for awards in 2024. This funding will support young people in our community, through individual awards, group projects in local schools and youth organisations, and also fund the lease of a 17 seater minibus.

This follows on from over £84,000 awarded in 2023 which saw over 170 young people benefit and supported 19 group projects. Awards ranged from £75 to cover Duke of Edinburgh’s Award fees to £6000 for West Moors Middle School to help with the cost of an outdoor Amphitheatre.

The charity was set up in 2008 in memory of Leiutenant John Thornton RM who was tragically killed in Afghanistan while serving with 40 Commando Royal Marines. The aim of the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation is to encourage and assist young people to ‘climb as high as they can dream.’ Whatever their dream, we hope to help them achieve it.

The Trustees selected 18 youth organisations for support in 2024 which included Ferndown Upper School, Ferndown First and Middle Schools, Beaucroft Foundation School, the Guides and Scouts and the Bournemouth Sea Cadets and Royal Marine Cadets. Funding was also set aside for young people who are not members of any of our supported organisations, increasing the reach and diversity of the Foundation within the community. Check out ‘Our Work’ for a full list of supported organisations.

Without the kindness and generosity of our supporters none of this would be possible. This includes our board of trustees! The JTYAF has a great team of trustees and ambassadors, all of whom are volunteers who give up a great deal of their time to make John’s Foundation the best it can be. We mustn’t forget our newest recruit, little Willow, who is just the cutest mascot ever.

We will keep you posted on the awards made in 2024 as they happen, and look forward to an exciting year ahead!