Vital funding will help EMPOWER Youth Zones expand its work and create more opportunities for children and young people throughout Greater Manchester.

The Matchroom Charitable Foundation has announced a £50,000 donation to EMPOWER Youth Zones, supporting the charity’s work with thousands of young people across Salford and Manchester.

The new partnership was launched through a week of activity surrounding the major British cruiserweight title clash between John Hedges and Pat Brown at Manchester’s Co-op Live.

EMPOWER oversees Salford Youth Zone in Pendleton and HideOut Youth Zone in Gorton, providing safe, purpose-built spaces where young people can take part in sport and creative activities while accessing support from trained youth workers.

Since opening in July 2025, Salford Youth Zone has welcomed more than 6,000 members and recorded almost 55,000 visits. Young people aged eight to 19 – or up to 25 for those with additional needs – can access more than 20 activities per session and receive a free hot meal for just 50p per visit.

The fight week programme began with Matchroom’s Head of Community Development, Alex Le Guével, visiting the centre alongside Manchester prospect Alfie Middlemiss, who featured on the Hedges-Brown undercard – and his trainer Jamie Moore.

The visit provided an opportunity to see the breadth of work taking place at the Youth Zone and meet some of the young people who use it. Its extensive facilities include a four-court sports hall, 3G football pitch, padel court, climbing wall, gym, boxing area and spaces for darts and pool.

Away from sport, members can use dedicated music and podcast recording studios, a training kitchen, dance and performing arts spaces, an art workshop, gaming facilities and rooms focused on enterprise and employability. The building also includes adapted facilities and a sensory room, helping young people with additional needs participate fully in its programme.

The Youth Zone was already familiar territory for Matchroom, having hosted Pat Brown alongside members of the Manchester United first-team squad for a session with young members earlier this year, while Matchroom Chairman Eddie Hearn attended the centre’s official opening in 2025.

Two days later, young people from Salford Youth Zone and HideOut Youth Zone were invited to the Hedges-Brown public weigh-in. The group met several fighters from the card, joined Matchroom staff on stage for photographs and gained a closer look at the production and preparation behind a major fight week.

The partnership was officially announced on Saturday morning as EMPOWER brought a large team to Matchroom’s Fight Day 5K at House of Social Manchester.

Wearing specially produced co-branded t-shirts, the group joined hundreds of runners for the inclusive event before Eddie Hearn confirmed the £50,000 donation during the opening welcome – and gifted fight night tickets to Youth Zone members.

The funding will help EMPOWER sustain and grow its provision across Greater Manchester, giving more young people somewhere safe to spend their time, activities through which they can develop their interests and trusted adults they can turn to when support is needed.

The relationship will also create direct employment opportunities. Salford Youth Zone will recruit two apprentices through ‘Undercard’, Matchroom’s sports industry apprenticeship programme delivered in partnership with Coach Core, providing paid roles and structured training for local young people.

Having seen demand for EMPOWER’s services continue to grow, CEO Adam Farricker welcomed both the investment and the wider opportunities the partnership will create.

“Grants like this make it possible for our Youth Zones to continue offering first-rate sporting facilities and unique opportunities to young people,” he explained.

“We were delighted to welcome Matchroom Boxing during fight week and showcase the difference EMPOWER makes in young lives,” he added.

“Thanks to this funding, we can continue increasing access to sport and exploring new and meaningful ways to engage young people.”

Established in 2016, the Matchroom Charitable Foundation brings together the charitable activity of Matchroom Sport. A £1 contribution from every ticket sold across Matchroom’s UK events supports community sport, disability services, hospices and organisations delivering important work in their local areas.

The partnership with EMPOWER will combine that financial support with access to Matchroom’s sports, events and wider network, opening up further experiences and career pathways for young people across Salford and Manchester.

To find out more about supporting EMPOWER, please contact: amanda.coverdale@empoweryouthzones.org