Jerk Junction, the much-loved Caribbean restaurant and takeaway, is raffling off a one-of-a-kind ‘black card’, to help raise money for a local youth club project.
Founder Jake Shaffi is planning to give away the card to one lucky winner, who’ll be able to eat free for a year.
And it’s all to help the newly-founded Old Trafford Youth Club, the first youth club to open in the area for over 10 years.
“I spent most of the years between 12 to about 16 or 17 in the youth clubs,” he told Manchester’s Finest. “Now they’re nearly all shut. They keep kids out of trouble, and now they’re just not there for them anymore.”
Jake grew up in Moss Side and Whalley Range, going to various youth clubs in South Manchester, including the original Old Trafford Youth Club.
“I’d go to play football, they’d take us on trips, camping, tours of United’s ground. We’d get fed too, for free, so that was good for my mum, she’d send us there,” he went on.
“There was even studio equipment and decks. I got into producing music, things I wouldn’t have had access to without youth clubs.”
According to the National Youth Agency, funding for youth services has been cut by 77% over the last decade, meaning that huge numbers of youth clubs have simply vanished from communities up and down the UK.
The new Old Trafford Youth Club, for boys and girls from the age of 11 to 16, opened its doors in February, with 100 kids turning up on its first day.
Founded by youth worker Horace Jones, the club has gym and boxing equipment, football facilities and is also hosting activities like cooking lessons for young people.
“A lot of celebrities have been onto us saying ‘can we have a black card’, because we get a few famous people in,” added Jake. “But I thought this is a great cause, and we can hopefully raise some money.”
The card will get its user free food and drink at any of its outlets – Altrincham, Wilmslow and Media City – up to the value of £1000. Raffle entries cost £20, and you can enter here…
You can donate direct to the Old Trafford Youth Club here too…
