Leading East Lancashire youth charity Blackburn Youth Zone has announced its latest corporate partner is Accrington based company Exertis, one of the largest distributors of IT equipment in the UK.

The charity - which opens to young people aged 8-18, 365 days a year - is supported by a number of local companies who have invested in the centre. Exertis Micro P is the charity’s latest Premier Patron and has made a pledge to support the youth centre with an annual £25,000 donation for the next three years.

Chief Executive of Blackburn Youth Zone, Peter Little, said: “Not everyone realises that the Youth Zone is a charity and as such we rely on contributions from the community, so to receive such generous support from Exertis means a great deal to us. With help from Exertis and our other corporate partners we are able to continue offering a wide range of activities to every young person in the area, every day of the year, for just 50p. Exertis is a fantastic company which is genuinely committed to making a positive contribution to its community and we are delighted to have them as partners.”

Robert White, Chief Operating Officer Exertis UK & Ireland, said this about the partnership: “It’s great to support a project that’s at the heart of the local community and focussing on youth.

As a major employer in the area, the Youth Zone offers us great support facilities and the focus on developing enterprise skills will enable us to identify employees of the future.”

If you or your company is interested in supporting the Youth Zone please contact Julia Wright on 01254 292000 or julia.wright@blackburnyz.org.