6th May 2026
Funding from the LGA Foundation has helped to make an unforgettable ski trip possible for young people from Denton Youth and Community Project, giving them the chance to build confidence, learn new skills and experience opportunities that can have a lasting impact on their futures.
The Newcastle-based charity has supported children and young people in West Denton and surrounding areas for 25 years, working with ages ranging from five through to older teenagers. Through a wide range of youth groups and activities, the project builds long-term relationships with young people and their families, often supporting them from primary school right through to the point they leave for university, work or other next steps.
Among the many activities the charity offers, its annual ski trip has become one of its most powerful opportunities for personal development. But it is also one of the most difficult to fund.
This year, support from the LGA Foundation helped young people travel up the Cairngorm in Scotland during February half term for a five-day trip, including three days on the slopes. For many, it was a chance to try something completely new in an environment far removed from day-to-day life at home.
Sara Hardeland, Project Manager from Denton Youth and Community Project said the impact of the experience stretches well beyond learning to ski.
“You definitely see the confidence grow, not even just around skiing, just in everything,” she said. “When they go back for a second time, they know a bit more what to expect, it’s not as daunting, and then they can help the people who haven’t been before settle in and show them the ropes.”
That sense of progression is a key part of the trip. Young people often attend the trip year on year, allowing them not only to build skills but to return with greater independence and a stronger sense of self-belief. As Sara explains, that growth can be seen in how they carry themselves, support others and begin to see new possibilities for their own future.
The trip is designed to be as accessible as possible, with funding helping to remove financial barriers that might otherwise prevent children and young people from taking part. Contributions are requested where possible, but free places are also offered to families where cost may be a barrier.
For a community charity like Denton Youth and Community Project, that support makes all the difference and in some cases, the impact can last for years.
One young person who attended the ski trip several years ago was so inspired by the experience that she is now preparing to return to the centre in Scotland for work experience, with plans to train as a ski instructor in the future. On this year’s trip, another young person, aged just 13, was so excited by what he saw that he approached staff at the centre himself to ask what he would need to do to work there one day.
Sara said: “It just opens up those opportunities and shows them how big the world is and all the different things they can do.”
That is the wider value of funding experiences like this. It is not only about a trip away or a few days of activity. It is about helping young people discover confidence, ambition and a bigger sense of what might be possible in their lives.
By funding the trip, the LGA Foundation supported far more than transport, accommodation and time on the slopes. It helped create an experience that has strengthened confidence, widened horizons and left young people with memories and aspirations that can stay with them long after they return home.
For Denton Youth and Community Project, it is another example of what can happen when charities are given the support they need to create meaningful opportunities for the communities they serve.
To contact the team or apply for funding for your organisation or project visit https://lga-foundation.org/apply-now/