Introducing... Girls' Streetwise! As well as our usual mixed programme, we've officially launched a Girl's Streetwise to create a safe, fun environment to engage more female players. Our first-ever tournament ran every Friday night throughout the month of April, hosted from BEAP Community Centre in Manningham.

We are excited to have engaged 25 attendees over the course of the project and are thrilled that girls from across the district have enjoyed coming together to meet new people, make friends, and learn new skills;

• 82.4% of participants said the sessions made them feel good (emotional wellbeing).
• 76.4% of participants said they have enjoyed mixing with girls from other areas.
• 100% of participants have said that they would do Streetwise football again!

We are delighted that our Keighley Hub's Youth Voice (self-named 'Young Bracken Crew') were given the opportunity to design a new mural for the storage container at the Sue Belcher Centre. 

Working together with Keighley Creative, we had a series of planning sessions where the young people explored what life is like in Bracken Bank and what the mural should look like. They decided that the mural should reflect their identity. The final design features Dave & Jordan (OIAM workers), the young people, and their favourite activities.

The young people were invited to help paint the background of the container, ready for their mural design. Local group Keighley Lions also supported the installation of the shelving, canopy and flooring. It was a beautiful show of community spirit.

There was a fantastic unveiling event once the mural was completed. A day of celebration featuring stalls, live performances of local choirs and dance groups, and a spoken-word performance by one of our youngsters, Daniel. Daniel read a poem, Word up North, which was written by the Young Bracken Crew throughout the project.

A BIG thank you to the Sue Belcher Centre, Keighley Creative, and Keighley Lions for this wonderful opportunity and all of your support.

During the recent half-term, a small group of children and young people from our Keighley hub enjoyed a day out in Howarth!

We were incredibly privileged to experience an in-depth tour of the Brontë house! We'd like to say a HUGE thank you to Diane and all at The Brontë Parsonage Museum for their time and dedication. We also enjoyed some of the museum's creative activities and dressing up. 

We rounded off the day with a trip to Mrs Breighton's old sweet shop, a walk-up Penistone Hill to enjoy the breathtaking views, and a play in the park to run off steam. A wonderfully busy day out!

This year, during the school holidays, we visited Bradford Gym Club to try our hand at gymnastics. It has quickly become a favourite amongst children and young people across our centres. 

"We should always come here... for every trip!"

Under the supervision of coach Irene, we've learnt new skills, stretches, and techniques! We are so pleased with our youngsters for showing great courage and determination. There have been many proud moments!

"I made it! Look how high I can jump!"

We look forward to seeing where this new venture takes us...

Our children & young people have been excelling in their Dance Development sessions. Coached by the wonderful team at Dance for Life, they have been learning new techniques, the importance of stretching, creating routines, and preparing for their regular Dance for Life performances.

"I feel proper good [after our performances] because I've achieved something”. Mila-Rose.

When asked about the impact of Dance Development and their favourite aspects, many of the young people highlighted that they love spending time with their friends and getting to make up their own dances, it makes them feel 'tired but good!'.

During the Easter holidays, our Windhill (Shipley) hub enjoyed a busy day out in Bradford city centre! 

The day began when we caught the bus into town. Once we arrived in town, we walked to Hollywood Bowl for a few competitive bowling games, and spent time enjoying the arcades. 

“Wow, Bryony has just tried doing it without the bowling aid!”.

“My favourite bit was the VR headset. It was scary, but also fun!” (Lara).

After a busy time walking, playing, and competing, we visited Pizza Pieces for lunch... hmm, delicious!

Overall, it was a very busy and enjoyable day out in Bradford; a treat to celebrate half-term!

An office with a view! 10 young people from our Manningham and Windhill Hubs travelled to the Yorkshire Dales to dive into the working world of Fortem People. 

We had an engaging and educational day, which included a game of 'SNAP' where we had to match job descriptions to the right job titles, a fabulous lunch where we interviewed Oakley's - a local food business, a treasure hunt around the farm, and a time to practice mock job interviews. 

We'd like to say a huge thank you to Fortem People and all of our wonderful Corporate Partners who have hosted Introduction to the World of Work trips this term including Vanquis Banking Group, Christeyns, Emerald Group Publishing, Midland Hotel, and The Broadway. Keep an eye out for new articles coming soon!

The Tour de Dales class of 2024 included a strong team of 23 determined riders, who donned this year’s sky blue jerseys and set off from Packetts HQ in Saltaire for a magical weekend of cycling in the stunning Yorkshire Dales.

Day 1: The first day saw our riders tackle a combined ascent of 14,000ft up some of Yorkshire’s most challenging hill climbs in two pelotons, well-supported by a fabulous support team! The day ended with an evening reception at the famous Victorian Theakston Brewery in Masham for some well-deserved prizes and rest.

Day 2: The team embarked on a return journey via 100 miles of ‘Yorkshire flat’ countryside to the home of One In A Million at Valley Parade. The finish line awaited the riders at One In A Million Free School in Manningham, Bradford, where family, friends and colleagues cheered the rider’s home.

We'd like to say a HUGE thank you to all of our riders for your valiant efforts, and to the team at Packetts for your continued dedication and support.

To read the full news story click here.

Conquering the London Marathon for Charity: An Interview with Megan Thackray

We'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to the wonderful Megan Thackray for conquering the London Marathon 2024 in aid of our charity! We interviewed Megan to find out about her training, race day experience, and motivation. Here's a snippet...

Megan, if you could share any advice with our children and young people, what would it be?

“When life gets hard you just have to keep going. Even if that’s just putting one foot in front of the other or taking on something second by second. Keep reminding yourself that you can and you will do it. Remind yourself who you are, that you’re amazing and strong, and when things get difficult, to keep your head held high. Do not back down just because it’s hard, you’ll find that most things worth having are difficult to achieve. As my God-Mother says; “How do you eat an elephant? In bite-sized chunks!”.

To read the full interview click here.

Bradford Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner 2024: 

We are honoured that President Mark Cowgill has chosen OIAM to be his chosen charity of the Chamber of Commerce for the next two years. We had a fabulous evening at the annual dinner which was themed around the Business of Food. A great event celebrating Bradford's rich food culture!

OIAM Corporate Partners network breakfast at Woodhouse Grove: 

We are honoured to have hosted our networking breakfast at Woodhouse Grove School, our topic this time, The Power of a Positive Partnership. A big thank you to all of our guests and speakers for spending your morning with us, as well as a big thank you to Woodhouse for their hospitality.

OIAM Change Campaign: Changing a Child's Life for the Cost of a Coffee

A HUGE thank you to all of our corporate partners who have been supporting our change campaign. Pictured below are the wonderful teams at Azets & United Gas & Power. Brilliant effort!

• Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge: Saturday 6th July 2024 proudly sponsored by BEF
• Golf Am/Am Tournament: Friday 9th August 2024 proudly sponsored by Azets
• Skydive: Choose your own date! If you are interested in doing a fundraising skydive with us, please contact our fundraising team events@oneinamillion.org.uk
• One Million Steps Challenge: Choose your own timeline! If you are interested in doing a fundraising skydive with us, please contact our fundraising team events@oneinamillion.org.uk