How the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund has impacted Snow Camp’s young people

Thanks to the generous support of the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund, Snow Camp has completed its first full year of funded programming in the Midlands – and what a transformational year it’s been.

Through this vital funding, we’ve been able to provide hot, healthy meals, offer integrated mental health support on all our Snow Camp programmes and cover essential transport costs for young people participating in our First Tracks programme. This type of support is so essential when many of whom are food insecure or face daily challenges just to access opportunity. This year has shown us just how impactful these seemingly simple provisions can be.

Tackling food insecurity for young people in the Midlands

This year, 52% of young people on Snow Camp Midlands programmes are entitled to Free School Meals, therefore living in a household with an income of less than £7,400. Recognising that many of our young people may face food insecurity, the NLRCF ensures that a nutritious lunch is provided on all our programmes. That’s 248 young people this summer! These meals are more than just food. They are fuel for learning, tools for inclusion, and powerful aids for mental and emotional wellbeing.

“Being able to provide young people with a hot meal is a major advantage. Many of our young people are food insecure and learning to ski or snowboard is even more difficult when you’re hungry on top of that. Furthermore, the social side of sitting together with friends and having great conversations around the table is so meaningful to their social and emotional development. If taken away now, young people would go hungry.” – Amiee Barton, Snow Camp Midlands Programme Manager

More than meals – building belonging and confidence

It’s not just about nutrition. These shared meals have become a cornerstone of our programme experience. They give young people space to connect with one another, reflect on their day, and engage in meaningful conversations with mentors and staff.

We’ve seen a direct impact on:

• Confidence levels – better nourishment = better performance on the slopes
• Engagement – more young people are completing full programme days
• Wellbeing – shared meals contribute to stronger peer relationships and reduced isolation

By funding staff salaries, food, and transport, the National Lottery has enabled us to remove multiple barriers that would otherwise stop young people from accessing the life-changing experiences that snowsports provide.

Supporting Mental Health Through Dedicated Wellbeing Leadership

Another vital element made possible through the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund, is the salary of our Wellbeing Manager. This role sits at the heart of our youth support team in the Midlands and plays a key part in ensuring every young person who joins Snow Camp receives emotional support, mental health guidance, and wraparound care throughout their journey.

Mental health challenges are increasingly common among the young people we work with. Many face complex social issues, including:

• Anxiety and depression
• Family breakdown
• Housing insecurity
• Exposure to violence or trauma

Our Wellbeing Manager is not only present at sessions to support emotional regulation and wellbeing, but also works behind the scenes to liaise with families, schools, and other youth services – making sure each young person’s needs are understood and met holistically.

Thanks to the National Lottery’s support, we’ve been able to:

• Offer 1-to-1 wellbeing check-ins during First Tracks sessions
• Create safe spaces for mental health conversations
• Deliver emotional resilience sessions alongside snowsports activities
• Provide ongoing signposting and support to those needing more specialist care

We know that meaningful change doesn’t happen in isolation. The stability, encouragement, and trusted adult presence that our Wellbeing Manager brings has proven invaluable.

This role, funded directly by the Reaching Communities grant, ensures that mental health is prioritised just as much as physical health and progression on the slopes. It helps our young people grow not only in skill, but in confidence, resilience, and self-belief.

Removing barriers for volunteers and Youth Forum members

The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund has also helped Snow Camp invest in the people who make our programmes possible: our volunteers and Youth Forum members.

One often overlooked barrier for young people who want to give back to the Snow Camp community is simply the cost of getting there. For many, travel expenses make it difficult or impossible to continue participating once their own programme journey ends.

That’s why we’re especially proud that this funding has allowed us to cover transport costs for volunteers supporting our sessions in the Midlands.

Take Yasmine, for example. A passionate Youth Forum member who wanted to volunteer at First Tracks. Without support, her return train fare alone would have cost £25 per session. Thanks to the Reaching Communities grant, that cost was fully covered.

This simple but essential support means that:

• Former participants can stay connected to the Snow Camp community
• Youth Forum members can act as peer mentors and role models
• Volunteers with lived experience can inspire and guide new young people
• The programme continues to be shaped by those who’ve experienced it firsthand

By removing financial barriers for our volunteers, we’re building a more inclusive, youth-led environment. One where past participants play a vital role in supporting and inspiring the next generation.

Why this support matters in the Midlands

The Midlands region is home to a large number of young people facing socio-economic disadvantage. Our First Tracks programme gives them the opportunity to experience snowsports for the first time while learning vital life skills such as:

• Resilience
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Goal setting

With food insecurity on the rise in many communities, it’s no exaggeration to say that reliable, nutritious, hot meals have become a lifeline. The Reaching Communities support allows us to meet these basic needs while delivering impactful programming that goes beyond the slopes.