14-Year-Old Joshua’s Remarkable Fundraising Journey
Having attended Door 84 for over two years, 14-year-old Joshua has not only stepped up from an attendee into a supported Young Volunteer role, but has also taken it upon himself to launch a year-long fundraising campaign to ensure young people don’t miss out on life changing opportunities.
“I think Door 84 is a great charity, and I want to help young people and parents make trips cheaper and more accessible,” Joshua explains. “Otherwise, some young people might not be able to go on trips.”
Specifically, he chose to fundraise for a residential trip, something he knows the value of firsthand. “I have been on two myself, and they are excellent fun,” he shares. “But I know this is one of the most expensive things Door 84 does for the young people.”
Fundraising on this scale is a huge undertaking, but Joshua worked tirelessly for an entire year to make it happen. He contacted local supermarkets and shops to secure stall spaces and reached out to businesses and organisations for raffle and tombola prizes.
Supported by staff from his school, Joshua quickly realised just how much time and effort it takes to run a successful campaign. Fortunately, all that hard work paid off.
“I got my first donation from a coffee shop,” Joshua recalls. “I went to ask about vouchers, and one of the staff donated £20. It felt amazing because we weren’t expecting it.”
Joshua also looks back fondly on other highlights of his year: “We were nearly crying with happiness after one person donated £115! Also, when we made over £50 in one day through a tombola, this was a record amount for us.”
Joshua is already looking toward the future “I want to raise even more next year! I’m already making plans to fundraise for another residential trip with Door 84 in 2027, and my goal is to beat the amount I’ve raised this year.”
When asked if he had advice for anyone who might feel too nervous to start their own fundraising journey, he said: “Don’t worry. I was worried at the start, but I had lots of people from school and Door 84 to help. My advice would be, don’t be afraid to ask for support.”
We are incredibly proud of Joshua’s dedication over the last year and so grateful for the incredible opportunities his hard work will provide for other young people!
For a further look at Joshua’s funding campaign, read the York Press article here.
“High Street Fund” successfully secured!
We’re delighted that a group of local stakeholders in the Groves have successfully secured funding through the ‘Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund‘, supported by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.
Door 84 is proud to be part of this collaborative group of local businesses and organisations. Together, we’ll be using this funding to deliver a range of projects and events designed to benefit the Groves and the local community.
We’re excited about what’s ahead and will be sharing updates and more details about this long-term project over the coming months.
Watch this space!
We Did It! The New Door 84 All-Weather Pitch is Officially Open
Thanks to your incredible generosity and support, we hit our £2,800 Crowdfunder target! Because of you, we now have a brand new, all-weather space for our young people and the wider community to enjoy, regardless of what the British weather throws at us.
Over the final weeks of March, we watched the transformation happen right before our eyes. The timing couldn’t have been better as our Easter Family Day Event provided the perfect stage for the community to come together, see the finished result, and get out there for the very first kickabout!
Thank you to every single person who made a donation. Whether it was a small contribution or a large one, you helped us reach that £2,800 goal.
The pitch is already being put to good use. Moving forward, it will be:
- A core part of our weekly sessions: Giving our young people and adult attendees a consistent place to play.
- Available for Hire: We want the whole community to benefit from this space.
Are you Interested in booking the pitch? If you’re looking for a central York venue for a game, practice, or event, please visit here for hiring details and availability.
Thank you for investing in the future of Door 84.
Help Us Score: The Final £2,800 for Door 84’s New Pitch!
After securing £36,000 in grants from the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority, York Children’s Trust, and Minster Lions, we need just £2,800 more to build a brand-new all-weather pitch at our Community Centre located on Lowther Street.
Why We Need Your Help
In the heart of York, safe and affordable sports spaces are rare. This pitch will be a game changer for our 8 –17 year olds and the wider community. From speaking to young people who come to Door 84, we know how much they value having access to spaces to play sport and take part in social, physical activity. This is particularly true for those from a low-income household, who may not be able to travel to take part in sport, or perhaps can’t afford the costs associated with many out of school clubs.
“Our vision with this project is to overcome these barriers, and make sport much more accessible to young people growing up in central York” George Arksey – Youth Manager
A Safe Space to Play
For many of our members, local parks aren’t an option. An 11-year-old attendee at Door 84 shared,
“Parks are dangerous, and there is a lack of football pitches. To get to these is a long walk, and most of them are just fields anyway.”
How You Can Help
We’re turning to our supportive community to help us raise this £2,800 goal. Whether it’s the price of a coffee or a larger donation, every penny goes directly towards the pitch.
We just need this final push to reach our target, please help us succeed!
Donate to the Door 84 Pitch Crowdfunder Here!
Thank you so much for your support.
(llustration above is how the pitch might look once installed.)
Grace Smashes Marathon & Fundraising Targets!
A HUGE congratulations to Grace, one our amazing volunteers who absolutely smashed the Yorkshire Marathon, on Sunday, 19th October.
Running for Door 84, her original fundraising goal was an ambitious £500. But thanks to the incredible generosity of friends, family and community members, she hasn’t just hit it – she has smashed it, currently raising over £1000!
The money raised will make a huge difference to the lives of the young people and community members that Door 84 supports.
Grace shared her thoughts on the monumental challenge.
“The marathon was definitely not easy, with my legs feeling achy way earlier than I would have liked them too! However, I kept going with the help of so many supporters including my family and friends.
It was such a surreal experience to run over that finish line, and I am still processing the many emotions from the day.
I am so proud to have been able to support Door 84, and have raised over £1000 to help the people they support.”
A massive thanks to all who donated and and a huge congratulations to Grace for her immense physical effort and her success in fundraising.
She is a true inspiration!
If you’re interested in fundraising or offering support, please contact us or visit our Get Involved page for more info.
Making a Splash for Sparks!
We want to send a massive thank you and a huge congratulations to one of our incredible supported volunteers, Fin!
Fin is an awesome member of the team, supporting our inclusive adult Sparks sessions by helping to set up the arts and crafts, making sure everything is ready for a fantastic time. He also dedicates his time to sorting the food donations for our Community Pantry and food bank.
Recently, Fin set himself a huge personal challenge to raise money for the Sparks project: he decided to swim 35 lengths of the York Sports Village pool!
Why the big swim?
Because Fin knows what a huge hit the visits from Dress Up and Dream are! This fantastic local company provides talented performers in costumes – like princesses and superheroes, who entertain the group with live singing, dancing, and interactive fun that everyone at Sparks can enjoy.
Since we need to raise money to book the performers, Fin decided to take the plunge to make it happen again!
Fin completed his amazing challenge on October 10th and has raised close to £300!
Thanks to Fin’s energy and commitment, the beloved ‘dress up and dream’ characters have now been booked to attend a Sparks session in early December for a fantastic, festive time!
Fin, you are an amazing help and an inspiration to us all, congratulations on your achievement.
Thank you to everyone who sponsored Fin.
Click here for more information about our Sparks Sessions.
Grace Goes the Distance for Door 84
York student and volunteer takes on her first marathon to raise funds for Door 84.
When Grace first joined Door 84 as a volunteer during her time at the University of York, she quickly saw just how much of a difference the charity makes to young people and the wider community. What she didn’t expect back then was that she’d one day be running a marathon to support us!
On Sunday 19th October, Grace will take on the Yorkshire Marathon (26 miles) – her very first – raising funds for Door 84.
Grace says “this is a completely new challenge for me, one that’s been testing both physically and mentally. Training has meant long runs in the rain and mud, figuring out how to fuel my body properly, and pushing myself on the days when I’ve least wanted to.”
Grace trains three times a week, mixing long runs, intervals, and slower recovery runs – sometimes with friends joining her, and always with a favourite podcast to help her focus. She’s had to push herself to prepare for the full 26 miles.
Her fundraising goal is to reach – and hopefully surpass – £500. When the race gets tough, Grace knows she’ll find the strength in her supporters: “I know how hard I have worked for this day, and so when things get tough I hope I will remind myself that I can’t give up for myself and all the work I have put in.”
The money Grace raises will go directly towards keeping Door 84’s doors open and making a difference in people’s lives. Every pound can help in so many ways – from enabling young people to attend our youth sessions in a safe, warm space where they can relax and be themselves, to providing resources for our food bank, or funding activities for our adult social groups for people with disabilities. Quite simply, your support helps us continue to reach those who need it most and enhance lives across York.
For Grace, crossing the finish line will be a proud moment. “I will be so proud of how hard I have worked for months, and how I have been able to do this whilst raising money for such an incredible cause.”
We’re so proud of Grace for taking on this challenge, and we’ll be cheering her on every step of the way. You can cheer her on too – and support Door 84 – by donating to her Crowdfunder page:
Help Grace meet her target by donating here
Pedal for Purpose – 84 Miles for Door 84!
We’re raising funds to help our community get active through inclusive sports and movement-based sessions – from youth clubs trying new activities to our SPARKS project attendees enjoying bowling trips and more.
These opportunities build confidence, skills, and friendships – but they come at a cost, and that’s why we’ve launched Pedal for Purpose.
On Wednesday 22nd October, a static bike will take centre stage in our café at Door 84, Lowther Street, York.
Volunteers (and anyone who pops by!) will pedal all day to hit a target of 84 miles – the same as cycling from Old Trafford to York!
Whether you ride for a few minutes or a few miles, every push of the pedal helps.
Funds raised will support our Youth “Get Active” sessions and SPARKS project, with any extra going straight back into running our community services.
Please cheer us on, join the ride, and donate if you can.
Together, we can keep York moving and connected!
To donate via our Crowdfunder page, click here
Thank you for your support.
Team Door 84 Takes On The York 10K
Team Door 84 consisted of 10 brilliant runners who took on the York 10K this year. They smashed it – doing a fantastic job from the start line to the finish, powering through the unpredictable York weather!
Thanks to their dedication and hard work, they’ve raised an amazing £1,616 – all of which will go directly towards helping us keep our services running and supporting people across the community.
A huge thank you as well to everyone who came out to cheer on Team Door 84 – your support made the atmosphere even more special and gave our runners a real boost!
Didn’t get a chance to donate yet? No worries – there’s still time!
Donate here
Running for a cause: Door 84 takes on the York 10K!
We’re lacing up our trainers and hitting the streets for the York 10K, all to raise vital funds for our charity.
Join us in cheering on Team Door 84 as they run, jog, walk, and inspire – every step making a real difference. On Sunday 3rd August, our dedicated team will be taking on the scenic York 10K route, starting at 9.30am. Our amazing team of fundraisers are getting stuck in to support the work we do here at Door 84.
From our vibrant youth sessions and fun Sparks project to our essential Food Bank and welcoming Community Café, Door 84 supports individuals and families across the city to lead happy, safe, and fulfilled lives.
Why Your Support Matters: More Than Just a Run
Every step taken by Team Door 84 helps us continue our vital work. Your generous donations directly help support:
- Youth Sessions: Providing safe spaces and engaging activities for young people in York.
- Community Support: Offering practical help and a sense of belonging through our Food Bank and Community Café.
- Reducing Isolation: Helping individuals thrive in a social setting, build confidence, skills, and connections for a brighter tomorrow.
We are immensely grateful to every single person who has joined our fundraising efforts.
Spot the Door 84 Crew!
If you’re heading into town on the day – keep an eye out for the Door 84 crew! Our team will be dotted around the city giving out high-fives, cheering runners on, and spreading some classic Door 84 energy!
Join Us in Making a Difference – Donate Today!
Want to support our amazing runners and contribute to a fantastic cause? You can donate right now and help us reach our fundraising goal. Every single pound makes a tangible difference to the lives of people in York.
DONATE HERE
Let’s go, Team Door 84!