At their recent meeting, right, the Trustees of the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) allocated £85,000 for awards in 2023.

This funding will support local young people by providing them with scholarships and bursaries helping their personal development and the pursuit of their ambitions.
The charity was set up in 2008 in memory of Lieutenant John Thornton RM who was killed in Afghanistan while serving with 40 Commando Royal Marines.
The aim of the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation is to encourage and assist young people to ‘climb as high as they can dream.’
Whatever their dream, the JTYAF hopes to help them achieve it.
The Trustees have selected 19 youth organisations for support in 2023 which include Ferndown Upper School, Ferndown First and Middle Schools, Beaucroft Foundation School, the Guides and Scouts and the Bournemouth Sea Cadets and Royal Marine Cadets.

Funding was also set aside for young people who are not members of any of the supported organisations, increasing the reach and diversity of the Foundation within the community.
The charity’s supporters and volunteers have taken the Foundation to levels never imagined in those early days.
Since the charity was formed an amazing £935,000 has been awarded to almost 2500 individual young people together with countless whole school and group projects.
The charity has also funded the lease of a 17-seater minibus for the last seven years, which serves all the local schools and numerous youth organisations.
Without the kindness and generosity of their supporters however none of this would be possible.

For more information about the work of the JTYAF visit jtyaf.org.