We were delighted to welcome Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth, Stephanie Peacock MP, to The Hive on Friday 3rd July, alongside our long-standing partner, the Steve Morgan Foundation.
The visit, organised by the Steve Morgan Foundation, showcased the power of partnership, investment and community-led action in creating opportunities for young people across the Liverpool City Region.
As part of her visit, the Minister met with young people from The Hive, hearing directly about their experiences and how access to youth services, trusted adults and new opportunities has helped them to develop confidence, skills and aspirations for the future.
Following a tour of the Youth Zone and conversations with members, the Minister joined a roundtable discussion with the Steve Morgan Foundation, Right to Succeed, Liverpool FC Foundation, Everton in the Community, Kindred and Liverpool Combined Authority and Birkenhead MP Alison McGovern. The discussions explored how long-term, place-based investment can help improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
Reflecting on the visit, 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. From the joy of music at In Harmony, to the energy and ambition of the Steve Morgan Foundation and their partners, 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.”
Steve Morgan, Founder and Chairman of the Steve Morgan Foundation, 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 Merseyside to talk together about the impact our funding has made in the region to improve the life chances for children, young people and families. We stand ready to continue our work with local, regional and national government.”
Jayne Wilson, CEO of The Hive, added:
“Our young people were at the heart of this visit, and we were proud to give them the opportunity to share what The Hive means to them.
“The Steve Morgan Foundation has been a passionate supporter of The Hive from the very beginning, helping to create opportunities for thousands of young people across Wirral. This visit was a fantastic opportunity for our members to share their experiences and demonstrate why investing in young people is one of the most powerful investments we can make in our communities.
“We hope the visit shines a spotlight on the remarkable young people in our community and the importance of continuing to invest in them.”
At The Hive, we see every day the difference that sustained support and strong partnerships can make. By bringing together charities, businesses, philanthropists and public services, we can ensure young people have the opportunities, support and encouragement they need to thrive.
We would like to thank Stephanie Peacock MP, the Steve Morgan Foundation and all our partners for helping to shine a light on the incredible potential of young people across Wirral and beyond.