Grants to support education

Lytham St Annes High School

Duke of Edinburgh Equipment

Over the last 12 months, the DofE program has been able to grow successfully in numbers at Lytham St Annes High School due to the generous funding from the LSF. 

In September 2023 we had 80 students complete their Bronze expedition, followed by 144 students completing their Bronze expedition in June 2024 and just recently 9 SEND students successfully went on a bespoke bronze expedition that catered individually for their needs.

In April and May 2024, 64 LSA students completed a Silver practice expedition and a Silver Assessment expedition – the first since pre-covid.  It is the funding received from the Lytham School’s Foundation that has enabled us to reintroduce the Silver DofE to our students.

Impact on the local community

The Duke of Edinburgh program has four sections to it; the expedition being the most well-known and the most expensive part of the award. Included in the award – Students also need to participate in up to 6 months volunteering their time in the local community. In the past 12 months the DofE students from Lytham St Annes High School have volunteered a total of 3960 hours in and around the Fylde coast.

Impact on LSA students

With the funding we received from LSF, ALL students who receive free school meals were offered the opportunity to take part in the award fully funded, including the option of also having personal equipment such as walking boots, sleeping bags, waterproofs etc. provided if required.

We were able to reduce the expedition cost for ALL students at LSA by covering some of the travel expenses to and from the expedition campsites.  Students not on free school meals but who’s family have fallen on hard times recently due to loss of job, redundancies, parents on maternity leave etc. were able to apply for help with the expedition cost.

Community Cricket and Tennis

Sports Facility Refurbishment

Lytham Cricket & Sports Club provides cricket for over 200 children and young people in the Lytham St Annes area. We know how important sport is to people’s wellbeing and mental health and the club needed to improve the facilities offered to provide a safe environment where the boys and girls can develop, grow in confidence and play sports to the best of their ability, whilst encouraging a healthier lifestyle both physically and mentally.

The grant would be used to refurbish the changing rooms which were not fit for purpose. The facilities could only be used by same sex teams as there was no separate female areas. The refurbishment would provide • two large changing rooms with self-contained showers • two smaller male and female changing rooms with showers • an umpires/match officials changing area • Separate male and female toilets. The outside of the building was also to be refurbished to provide a more welcoming environment and will include wheelchair access.

The work was completed in May 2024, and was funded by a range of fundraising activities, and donors, including the Foundation. Before and After Photos can be found below.

Community Football

Heyhouses School at Wembley

AFC Fylde Community Foundation’s representatives, Heyhouses U11s girls were presented with the chance to travel to Wembley and compete in The National League Trust Cup Final in May 2024. They were already the North West Champions, but they now had their eyes set on the biggest prize. The girls made the weekend of it as they travelled down Saturday lunch time and spent the weekend in London ahead of their big lunch time kick off on Sunday.

After preparing for kick off in Wembley’s changing rooms it was time to walk out onto the famous Wembley turf to face Slough Town’s representatives. After a tight game, they came away 1-0 winners. After celebrating, they had to gather themselves to walk up those famous steps to go and lift their trophy in the Royal box.

The girls wore the AFC Fylde shirts sponsored by Norbreck Self Storage and Kepak, customised with their names on the back, with immense pride. The Foundation provided a grant to cover the travel costs for the team.

Christmas Story

Through the Keyhole

Thank you so much for the travel grant which paid for the coaches to transport children from Hall Park Primary and Lytham C of E to St John’s Church for our Christmas Through the Keyhole experience (December 2023).

“The 3 classes that attended today absolutely loved the experience and were mesmerised. There was so much to see and you really had created a very magical trail. 

When we got back to school the children told us of so many different things that they had enjoyed.” – Lytham Hall Park

“Instead of dancing on Saturday morning, I’m going back to St John’s Church to enjoy the trail again!” – Year 4 child

Fun Science Workshops

Crazy Science Roadshow

We were thrilled to once again welcome Doug Horley to Lytham this year (October 2023). 

As Church of England Schools, we frequently sing Doug’s songs during our Worships but to actually meet him in person was amazing!

Doug is incredibly skilled and his shows are always thoroughly enjoyed by all.  

Thanks again – we really appreciate the financial support which enabled this to happen.

“Doug Horley came to our school on 17th March, he was so entertaining and funny we loved everything he did especially the science! He did tons of songs with us some including sign language for example Tidal Wave. He did come on the last day of British science week so of course he did much science also!….Overall, we thought he was so fun and definitely should come to our school again.” Lytham C of E Primary School Council.

“The children absolutely adored Duggie Dug Dug’s Crazy Science Show and were so enthusiastic about the whole thing. It certainly sparked lots of curiosity and awe and wonder.” Hall Park Primary School

Restoration Project

Fairhaven Lake Restoration Project

Fairhaven Lake and Gardens covers an area of 19.5 hectares. It is situated halfway between
Lytham and St Annes in Fylde, Lancashire and runs adjacent to the Ribble Estuary.

In the years leading up to the project, there was growing concern over the condition of the
deteriorating lake. The lake was at risk from sedimentation, reducing water volume, and algal blooms made the lake appear unattractive and restricted activity.

In addition, the surrounding buildings had inadequate functional layouts, had lost architectural integrity, and were in poor condition. The buildings risked being taken out of active use, negatively impacting the site’s life and character and reducing opportunities to host activities
and events.

Under the Foundation’s remit to improve children’s education, we provided £15,000 to support improved educational facilities and events around the Lake. This funding went directly to support new signage, ecology workshops and school educational programmes.

The full report of the improvements at Fairhaven Lake can be downloaded here: (please be aware this is a large document).

Fun Holiday Play Sessions

Heyhouses School Nursery

This Holiday pilot project was developed to provide fun and safe play sessions for some of the more vulnerable people living locally. The aim was to provide stimulating and creative sessions for a group of children who would benefit from this additional support from staff throughout the long summer holiday. Children were invited to join the sessions one day per week over 5 days of the summer 2022 holiday period, and were provided with healthy snacks and lunch to supplement the activities.

The feedback from parents and carers has been fantastic helping children to settle back in to school easier, becoming more confident in their spoken English (where English is their 2nd language), embracing going to school whilst also providing some respite for full time carers.

Congratulations to the team at Heyhouses Nursery for bringing this project to us, it has been a delight to be able to help you make such a big difference to these children and families.

Travel and Safety Equipment

Fylde District Scouts

Scouting provides life skills for young people and opportunities to participate in educational activities outside of the traditional classroom. In 2022 we provided a grant so that the local scouts could undertake more activities out on the water. They applied for a grant to cover the costs of new buoyancy aids, and a trailer to allow them to transport their kayak’s to locations outside of the local area. The kit was tested out locally at Fairhaven Lake before taking its first trips up to Coniston in the Lake District.