Helping Make Memories For Children In Northfield

Background

Located in the heart of Northfield, Northfield Community Centre is a much-loved hub, run by dedicated volunteers.

A charitable organisation, the centre offers a safe and welcoming space, providing a range of activities and services designed to enhance the wellbeing of its visitors.

Its mission is to enrich children’s lives by providing fun, secure experiences that promote growth and foster a strong sense of belonging.

Above all, the team’s goal is simple: to see children have fun, feel safe, and smile.

Support required

During our initial meeting, we asked the centre’s team what they would wish for if they had a magic wand.

Their list included:
✅ General building maintenance
✅ A disabled toilet upgrade
✅ A new kitchen
✅ New equipment and toys
✅ Funding for summer activities for over 100 children

After further discussions, it became clear that securing funding for the summer programme was the top priority.

Support provided

We worked closely with the centre’s team to:
✔ Develop a comprehensive budget for summer trips and excursions
✔ Create a detailed project plan, including volunteer support, timelines, and activity ideas

For many children, this would be their only opportunity to leave Northfield/Aberdeen during the holidays. Even simple activities, such as swimming or visiting parks, were not always possible without support.

We researched potential funding opportunities that could meet the centre’s tight deadlines, ensuring the applications aligned with funders’ criteria. Since many grants do not cover retrospective funding, we had to act fast.

To strengthen our applications, we highlighted:
🔹 The urgent need, explaining the lack of safe and productive alternatives for children during the holidays
🔹 The positive impact, including:

Physical benefits – encouraging an active lifestyle through outdoor activities
Mental well-being – reducing stress, building confidence, and fostering friendships
Community impact – creating a safe and supportive space for children to explore and grow

With generous support from TAQA, we secured the funding needed to organise eight unforgettable trips, including outings to:
🎢 Landmark
🦁 Blair Drummond Safari Park
🐻 Highland Wildlife Park

The result? A summer filled with adventure, joy, and countless smiles.

Impact

💙 More than 100 children participated in exciting summer activities
😃 Unforgettable memories were made, with laughter and joy at every turn
🌍 Increased opportunities for children to explore new places and experiences
🏃‍♂️ Physical & mental well-being benefits, fostering confidence, resilience, and social skills

Future plans

Working with the team at Northfield Community Centre we have so many great ideas about how we can help improve its actual building, launch new services and raise funds for new equipment. By working together there's so much that we can achieve.

Can you help?

Would you like to support Northfield Community Centre in changing lives? Sponsor an activity or service? Partner with us? Help us reach more children and families in Northfield? If your answer is YES, please call 01224 976300 or email hello@alllifechances.org

Conclusion

This project reinforced the power of community support and partnerships in making a real difference. Thanks to Northfield Community Centre’s commitment and the generosity of funders like TAQA, these children were able to create memories that will last a lifetime.

💙 Together, we can continue to make a difference.