Historic Salford Lads Club faces closure without urgent £250,000 rescue fund

The world famous Salford Lads Club is facing closure within two months unless it raises £250,000

For 120 years, Salford Lads Club has been a lifeline for young people from deprived communities. However, the Greater Manchester institution now finds itself in dire need of assistance.

The club must raise a quarter of a million pounds by the end of November or face closure, ending its proud history of fostering young talent from across the region. The club, which lies on the edge of an estate in need of regeneration, opened in 1903 with the mission to 'Brighten Young Lives and Make Good Citizens'.

It officially opened its doors in January the following year. However, due to rising costs and a decrease in grant income, the world-renowned club, which carries out crucial grassroots work with children, will run out of funds in eight weeks.

The Manchester Evening News is now urging people in the region to donate to keep it open. A fundraiser has been established to raise the urgent £250,000 needed to save it.

Salford Lads Club, a cultural hub located on Coronation Street in Ordsall, has been nurturing talent from the realms of art and sport for many years. The club was once a practice ground for the 1960s pop group The Hollies before they hit the big time.

It also served as a training ground for young footballers who later played for Manchester United, Manchester City, and other top-tier clubs. Harold Riley, the artist who passed away last year, was a member, as was radio DJ and Salford Jets band member Mike Sweeney.

In 1985, the club gained worldwide recognition when it was used as the backdrop for an iconic image of Manchester band The Smiths. Fans of the band continue to visit the building to this day.

The club's grand Edwardian building has also been rented out by filmmakers and has featured in Peaky Blinders, Last Tango In Halifax, Mrs Biggs, Cold Feet, Blue Murder, and numerous other films and series. Last year, fashion powerhouse Chanel hired the landmark for a star-studded party ahead of its show in Manchester's Northern Quarter.

Sales of Salford Lads Club t-shirts skyrocketed after film stars Christopher Eccleston and Maxine Peake were photographed wearing them. However, income from visitors and filmmakers is insufficient to cover the substantial costs of providing youth work that serves as a lifeline to the community.

This globally recognised institution is struggling behind the scenes.

The club, situated in one of the country's most deprived areas, provides sports and other activities to over 200 young people six days a week. The escalating costs of maintaining its 120-year-old Grade II Listed building are proving increasingly burdensome.

In order to professionalise the club's operations and compete for grants, there is a need to hire staff. However, grant income has plummeted as the market becomes saturated and competitive, according to the management.

The club's annual utilities bill stands at £15,000, with building maintenance costing another £15,000, and insurance amounting to £13,000. To cover the current monthly losses for another six months while new initiatives are established to generate long-term funds, the club requires £108,000.

An additional £55,000 is needed to hire new staff for this six-month period. It is estimated that a further £98,000 is required to replenish reserves.

Last year, the club's annual income was £160,000, which included donations, proceeds from open days and visitors, building rentals (including for weddings), and online shop sales. However, outgoings totalled £394,700.

Salford Lads Club, based in Ordsall, serves an area where 689 children under the age of 16 live in low-income families - accounting for 46% of all children in the area. The local child poverty rate is particularly high for older children, rising to 57% for those aged 11 to 15 years, the highest rate in the city.

Laura Slingsby, the head of youth operations, expressed concern over financial pressures facing their organisation, revealing: "We've always been careful stewards of the funds we receive, investing in high-quality youth work and staff to keep our programmes accessible to everyone in the community." She also noted the current challenges, saying: "However, the rising cost of utilities, staff, and operational expenses, combined with fewer available grants, have created an urgent financial need. Our mission has always been to 'Brighten Young Lives and Make Good Citizens'.

"Today, that mission is more relevant than ever, as many of the young people we serve face challenges like gang culture, poverty, and lack of opportunity."

The club remains dedicated to its role in the community, offering a plethora of activities on club nights such as football, boxing, table tennis, among others, along with free food. Additionally, the institution proudly supports its expanding football teams, including the recent formation of the first girls team, as Laura detailed: "That's 120 to 140 young people engaged in healthy activities both physical and mental. It costs £12,000 a season to hire these pitches from Salford Community Leisure. The club carries the entire cost of this to make sure it is affordable to all families."

The club, a stalwart of tradition, has held its annual camp every year since 1904, with the exception of interruptions during two world wars and the Covid pandemic. The camps for boys and girls offer a range of professionally instructed activities such as abseiling, rock climbing, canoeing, ghyll scrambling, fell walking, high ropes, archery and bushcraft.

In 2023, the cost to provide these facilities reached £18,000. However, in 2024, expenses were trimmed and with financial aid from the Greater Manchester Youth Federation, the costs were considerably reduced.

Looking towards the future, the club is seeking an urgent cash injection to navigate through an immediate crisis. Their goal is to establish the Salford Lads and Girls Club Legacy Fund, ensuring a lasting legacy.

Contributions to this fund will be perpetual; the capital will be safeguarded in a trust, with the interest providing a crucial ongoing source of revenue.

Laura explained the importance of the fund: "The more we have in the fund the greater the annual returns, helping the club to become and remain self-sustainable. The club needs the urgent cash injection now to help close the current funding gap, as even if £1m is secured for the Legacy Fund now the returns wouldn't be generated until next year."

In an effort to modernise and enhance its offerings, the club is transitioning to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), which confers some of the advantages of a company while sparing some of the burdens.

The initial goal is set at £1.25m, with £250,000 earmarked for the urgent appeal and £1m allocated to the Legacy Fund - a permanent endowment fund that could yield annual returns of between £40,000 and £50,000.

To donate to the Manchester Evening News fundraiser, click HERE.