Lyons Electrical Sponsors Youth Awareness Workshop for Maidstone Students

Lyons Electrical is proud to be supporting the Kenward Trust by sponsoring a specialist youth awareness workshop for students at The Gateway in Maidstone.

The sponsorship will enable the Kenward Trust Youth Team to spend a morning working with approximately 33 young people from Years 10 and 11. The Gateway is an alternative education provision supporting students who may find it difficult to remain within mainstream education.

The workshop will focus on the important and challenging subject of County Lines, alongside wider education around drugs and alcohol. Students will learn more about the effects these substances can have on the body, the potential consequences of substance misuse and the risks associated with criminal exploitation.

Members of the Kenward Trust team will also share relevant personal life experiences to help communicate these messages in an honest, relatable and engaging way. At the heart of the session will be a clear message about the importance of making safe, healthy and positive choices.

The Gateway already has a team in place to provide follow-up, one-to-one support to students where required. This means the lessons and conversations raised during the workshop can continue beyond the initial session, giving young people access to further guidance and assistance.

The school did not currently have sufficient funding available to arrange the visit independently. Lyons Electrical’s sponsorship will cover the cost of the Kenward Trust team delivering the workshop, which is currently planned for November 2026.

Richard Owen, Director at Lyons Electrical, said:

“We are very pleased to support the Kenward Trust and help make this important workshop available to young people in Maidstone. As a local business, we believe it is important to support organisations that are working directly with young people and making a positive contribution within our community.”

The sponsorship was arranged following a Kent Construction Focus Group breakfast meeting, where representatives from Lyons Electrical heard more about the Kenward Trust’s work with schools and young people across Kent.

After learning that businesses could sponsor educational visits for schools that may not otherwise be able to fund them, Lyons Electrical offered its support and selected The Gateway in Maidstone as the recipient.

Through this sponsorship, Lyons Electrical is continuing its commitment to supporting the local community and contributing to initiatives that promote education, awareness and positive opportunities for young people across Kent.