UKSA’s ambitious plans for a brand new 136-bed accommodation centre in Cowes are set to become a reality with work expected to commence on-site within days.
This project has been made possible by a number of generous donations including US $1.9million from the TK Foundation – the single largest donation in UKSA’s 30-year history – and an additional £450,000 pledge from the Whirlwind Charitable Trust, a long-term supporter of UKSA. A new £300,000 donation has been made by The Bradbury Foundation too.
The new, modular accommodation centre will enable an additional 3,000 children and young people to visit UKSA each year, allowing the organisation to continue growing its impact on life skills and career prospects. Central to its design, the new facility will have configurable zones providing more flexible arrangements for all, alongside improved safeguarding and better disabled access.
Dennis Treleaven, Maritime Program Officer from The TK Foundation, comments:
“We have long supported the work UKSA undertakes and recognise the important value their programmes add to the lives of the thousands of people passing through its doors each year. The TK Foundation actively supports youth and maritime programmes that offer a hand-up, not a hand-out, and that create a lasting impact, especially in terms of maritime employment opportunities, and we consider UKSA’s work to be an embodiment of these values.”
Ben Willows, CEO of UKSA, adds:
“We have been working on plans for this new facility since 2017, when we launched UKSA’s Building Better Futures campaign with our Patron, HRH Princess Royal. Our aim was to raise £4m in order to transform our facilities. We have now raised £3.7m and I’m thrilled to say that building work is now set to commence – I am so grateful for all the support that our donors have provided, it has been humbling to have received such generous support.
“The first phase of work will see the demolition of the Ark Royal, a 1929 brick building with 66 beds. Despite many refurbishments over the years, the building is no longer fit for purpose. The new accommodation centre will replace Ark Royal and will increase our efficiency through enabling us to optimise occupancy and improve the quality of our service offering to students.”
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The UKSA site will remain fully operational throughout the development works, with completion of the works planned for mid-2022.
It would be a great help if, somewhere in this article, you actually say what UKSA is, or stands for !!
Blocking off the views and light from the residence of Arctic Road. Another black shadow development.