Press release: The Duke of Edinburgh visits historic youth club in London and meets youth organisation leaders from across the capital as part of charity patronage
22 February 2024
On Wednesday 21st of February, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visited Salmon Youth Club in Bermondsey. The visit was part of The Duke’s patronage of London Youth, which he took over in 2020 from his father, who had held it for over 70 years.
During the visit, The Duke of Edinburgh met Salmon Youth Club’s team of youth workers and young leaders, as well as senior staff and Chair of Trustees Adrian Greenwood. The Duke was given a tour of the facilities, which included the opportunity to get stuck into activities such as t-shirt painting in the art room, mixing tracks and writing lyrics in the music studio, and table tennis in the club’s social area. He also observed trampolining and dodge ball being led by dedicated youth workers in the sports hall.
Salmon Youth Centre has been reaching out to young people in inner city London for over a hundred years, having been established in 1906 under a different name. Today, its team inspires young people to reach their potential and contribute positively to their local community. They welcome around 500 young people every week and their doors are open to all young people, from all backgrounds, between six and 25 years old.
Salmon Youth Centre is a member of London Youth. The charity is on a mission to champion and strengthen London’s youth organisations so young people have the opportunities and skills they need to succeed. They do this with and through their members – a network of 600 youth organisations – and at their two outdoor residential centres, Hindleap Warren and Woodrow High House.
During the visit on Wednesday 21st of February, The Duke of Edinburgh met young leaders from across London Youth’s membership who have journeyed from being young attendees of their youth club to training to become youth workers themselves; their stories a true testament to the life-changing power of youth work.
The Duke also joined a meeting chaired by London Youth, convening CEOs, founders, and leaders of almost 30 of its member youth organisations. He heard from selected speakers on the topic of workforce development within youth organisations, and also joined in with smaller group discussions to hear directly from each attendee about their personal experiences and concerns as leaders. At the end of the meeting, The Duke addressed the room to share his insights from the session, and to personally thank each of the attendees for their invaluable work supporting our capital’s young people within their communities.
Pauline Daniyan, Chief Executive of London Youth said: “As part of our valued Royal Patronage, it’s important to us that we create meaningful opportunities for The Duke of Edinburgh to hear firsthand from youth professionals working daily on the ground, to meet young people, and to spend time at youth clubs. A visit like today’s at Salmon Youth Club, and the interactions and connections that The Duke took time to forge, makes a genuine contribution to London Youth’s mission.”
For more information and photos contact media@londonyouth.org
