On Friday 3 July, the Steve Morgan Foundation welcomed the Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth, Stephanie Peacock to Merseyside for an afternoon of discussion, knowledge-share and insights.
Initiated by SMF trustee Sally Morgan, the visit highlighted the power of partnerships in transforming opportunities for young people and explored how the Foundation’s partnership approach is a powerful blueprint for the Impact Economy.
The visit was hosted by SMF strategic partner, OnSide at its Hive Youth Zone in Birkenhead.
The Minister heard from young people directly about what the Hive means to them, before joining a roundtable chaired by the Foundation’s CEO Liam Eaglestone, plus representatives from our strategic partners, Right to Succeed, Liverpool FC Foundation and Everton in the Community, together with the Department for Culture Media and Sport, Kindred and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. They discussed their aligned approach to tackling the root issues of social disadvantage through collaborative action and how this model of community-led investment can be grown and replicated across the country.
Steve Morgan said:
“We’ve been funding work in our region for over 25 years, and we know we need more longer-term partnership funding to make a bigger difference. We were delighted to welcome the Minister to the Hive to talk together about the impact our funding has made to improve the life chances for children, young people and families. We stand ready to continue our work with local, regional and national government.”
Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth Stephanie Peacock said:
“What I’ve seen in Merseyside is philanthropy at its very best: generous, rooted in collaboration with local partners to maximise investment, and a shared focus on giving young people the chances they deserve. It is clear that when government, local partners and philanthropists work together, the results are transformative.
“This kind of partnership model demonstrates exactly what we want to champion and celebrate. We want to make these partnerships easier to form in different places across the country, and at all levels of government – so that every young person, wherever they grow up, has more access to the opportunities they need to thrive.”
SMF’s development director, Paul O’Neill will brief a wider group of MPs on the Foundation’s work in Westminster on Monday 13 July.
Photo credit: Lindy Rogers Photography