Child Friendly Warwickshire

Warwickshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Tim Cox, has been travelling across the county in recent weeks to visit organisations who support young people with gaining important life skills to help fulfil their potential. The visits included spending time with Stratford-upon-Avon Sea Cadets, attending a variety show performed by local Scout and Guide movements, and chairing a meeting for the charity Young People First.

On Thursday 2 March, Tim Cox visited the Stratford-upon-Avon Sea Cadets, a group that encourages people aged 10 – 18 to get involved in a range of activities and adventures to learn key life skills. The skills range from teamwork, respect, loyalty, and self-confidence, to commitment, self-discipline, honesty, and how to be the best version of themselves. As Lord Lieutenant, Tim Cox is a regular visitor of cadet groups across the county including the Army Cadets, The Air Training Corps and Combined Cadets, as well as the Sea Cadets. Each year, a young person from each cadet group is selected to accompany Tim, the King’s representative for the County, to some of his official events, and this can include attending any Royal Visits to Warwickshire. This is just one of many incredible opportunities for young people to get involved by joining the cadets, and you can find out more about Stratford-upon-Avon’s Sea Cadets at sea-cadets.org/stratforduponavon.

On Wednesday 1 March, Tim Cox attended the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa as a special guest to watch the Warwickshire Gang Show (WAGS), a family-friendly variety show performed by members of the Scout and Guide movements from across the county. Now in its 51st year, the annual event was performed daily by young people aged 6 - 25 between 28 February - 4 March 2023, and showcased plenty of music, vibrancy, movement, and fun. The show is delivered entirely by volunteers and casts young people to help develop their performing skills, encourage teamwork, and increase their confidence. This year the organisers of WAGS delivered the show in order to raise funds for Young Minds, a charity that helps young people with their mental health in the Warwickshire and Coventry area. For more information about Scouting in Warwickshire, visit warwickshirescouts.org.uk.

A photo of a CFW advert next to an advert for the SEND IMPACT Youth Forum and Warwickshire Parent Carer Voice in the WAGS brochure, in front of a WAGS banner.

On Saturday 25 January, Lord Lieutenant Tim Cox chaired the 26th Annual General Meeting of Young People First, who work towards a vision of 'no young people limited by disadvantage.' As President of this registered charity, Tim Cox discussed the importance of the charity’s work to help vulnerable young people, their families, and the wider community by delivering activities, creating opportunities, and providing support to help disadvantaged young people transition into a self-assured adulthood. The event took place at Young People First’s Westbury Community Centre in Leamington Spa and was attended by key members of the local community; everyone had space to air their views and to hear about the charity’s strategy from Jo Squires, the new (as of April 2022) Chief Officer. To find out more about the work of Young People First, visit www.youngpeoplefirst.org.uk.

Lord Lieutenant Tim Cox with representatives of Young People First.

Councillor Jeff Morgan, Portfolio Holder for Children & Families, said:

“We want Warwickshire to be the best it can be for our young people, and this can be achieved by providing the right opportunities to develop key life skills through fun, safe and healthy experiences so that young people can fulfil their potential now and in the future.

“It is great to see Warwickshire’s Lord Lieutenant getting involved by meeting and supporting our young people through these organisations, and all of us can play our part by shaping a county which is truly child friendly for the youth of Warwickshire.”

The Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Tim Cox, said: 

“It is a pleasure to meet the young people of Warwickshire and find out how we as individuals and as a community can deliver activities, create opportunities, and provide support to help young people fulfil their potential.

“In my role as Lord Lieutenant I continue to raise the profile of such inclusive and child friendly organisations, as they provide young people with great opportunities to understand and overcome their own problems so that they can learn how to succeed and help others in life.”

Organisations across the county can sign up as friends of Child Friendly Warwickshire, which is bringing the county together in a collective effort to ensure all children and young people have a voice that is heard, that they are safe, happy and healthy and that they are equipped with the skills to have the best lives they can. To find out more, visit childfriendlywarwickshire.co.uk/our-friends. 

To find out more about the role of Warwickshire’s Lord Lieutenant, visit lordlieutenantofwarwickshire.co.uk.