YMCA North Staffordshire on Harding Road in Hanley is currently building a brand-new two-storey Youth Hub as an extension to its existing headquarters. Set to open in early 2025, it will feature a training kitchen, art room, chill-out room, digital suite, recording room and computer training room.

Following a call to businesses to help the YMCA fit out the Youth Hub, UKSE has become the first organisation to offer its financial backing. Sponsorship from the West Midlands arm will enable the YMCA to fully kit out its new recording room with recording equipment.

The recording room will provide a private, bespoke space for young people to create their own music and delve into the world of podcasting.

UKSE regional executive Mike Lowe commented: “We are thrilled to be able to provide the YMCA with the funding needed to kit out the Youth Hub’s new recording room.

“UKSE’s main aim is to help businesses grow and prosper for the benefit of the community, and YMCA North Staffordshire plays a very important role in supporting young people.

“The recording room will help young people develop valuable practical skills that will build up their confidence and boost their employment opportunities in the long term.”

YMCA North Staffordshire director of communities and partnerships Nicky Twemlow said: “We are very grateful to receive this funding from UKSE, especially as they are the first organisation to offer us their financial backing.

“The new recording equipment will bring young people’s vision of the recording room to life and give them the opportunity to develop new skills that they would not get otherwise.”

Providing strategic loan and equity packages of up to £1m to generate growth, create local job opportunities and bolster the economy, UKSE’s West Midlands arm based in Cannock supports SMEs across Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry, Staffordshire and Telford.

UKSE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Steel UK Limited with a mission to enable and encourage businesses and the people behind them to create jobs, grow and prosper, within communities affected by current or historic changes in the steel industry and its jobs.

UKSE supports the local economy by making equity investments, ensuring management stays in control of the business and offers a flexible exit policy. Unsecured loans up to £200,000 are also available, often without the need for personal guarantees.

UKSE provides investment in a range of scenarios including business acquisitions, management buyouts, company expansions or the purchase of new equipment. Since it was established in 1975, UKSE has invested over £115m, supporting 8,000 businesses, stimulating the creation of an estimated 83,000 new jobs.