Adrenaline Alley & Northamptonshire Community Foundation to launch The John Chard-Young Legacy Fund

This will be a bursary scheme to provide those in need with access to Adrenaline Alley, Active In Motion health & wellbeing centre, and counselling sessions.

John Chard-Young was the co-founder and inspiration behind Adrenaline Alley which is now the largest skatepark in Europe. The story began in 2001 when John endured a brutal attack while he was out with his skateboard, a struggle he faced after years of suffering from an undiagnosed brain tumour. These harrowing experiences took a real toll on John’s mental health, but skateboarding had consistently played a pivotal role in revitalizing his wellbeing. Driven by their personal journey, John, and his mum Mandy, embarked on a mission to create a secure haven for action sports. In 2002, Adrenaline Alley was born.

On 17th September 2010, John fell asleep, and Adrenaline Alley became his legacy. What his dream created continues to have a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people year on year and with the launch of this new fund, the impact is set to be even greater.

Aiming to improve the quality of life of the people in the county, Northamptonshire Community Foundation were the ideal partners to set up the fund. The organisation ensures a seamless application process and the Northamptonshire Community Foundation team have extensive experience matching applications to grant programmes. They are deeply committed to making all funds understandable and accessible whilst supporting applicants to make the best application possible.

The John Chard-Young Legacy Fund will offer three distinct forms of support, each tailored to enhance various aspects of wellbeing:

• Adrenaline Alley Action Sports Sessions: Allowing you to actively engage in BMX riding, skateboarding, inline skating, or scootering.
• Active In Motion Sessions: Under the guidance of experienced coaches, you'll have the opportunity to enhance your health and wellbeing through cutting-edge power-assisted exercise machines. Additionally, in collaboration with Rockingham Forest Wellbeing, you can access holistic therapies such as osteopathy, sports massage, acupuncture, and injury rehabilitation.
• Counselling Sessions: Qualified counsellors will dedicate themselves to improving your mental health and overall wellbeing through therapeutic talking techniques.

To apply, you are required to be a participating member at Adrenaline Alley or Active In Motion. You will also need to live in Northamptonshire (except for those with a disability who will eligible if they live outside of the county) and evidence that you are struggling to pay the costs that would support your mental/physical health and wellbeing.

Adrenaline Alley CEO, Mandy Young MBE DL said; “We are so proud to be launching the fund and extending the reach of John’s legacy to make a real difference for those people in need. Adrenaline Alley has a history of support from Northamptonshire Community Foundation, and it is an honour to have set up the fund with such a fantastic organisation.”

If you feel the John Chard-Young Legacy Fund could be beneficial to yourself or someone you know, all the details on the fund and how to apply will be available on the Adrenaline Alley and Northamptonshire Community Foundation websites early next week.