Thousands of young people in Dudley are set to receive a much-needed boost in October when a new youth centre officially opens its doors.
The Forge, which has been created by local friends Adam Bradley and James Bragg, will provide a safe place for children, teenagers and young adults to meet and take part in activities, including darts lanes, pool tables and a boxing machine.
There will also be a podcast studio to sharpen creative and digital skills, an education room and communal kitchen, where members can learn how to prepare and cook healthy meals.
Located in Churchill Precinct, the initiative will be run by their two community interest companies Headz Up CIC and Strike Youth CIC and delivers a welcome boost for Dudley, which currently has the highest number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs).
“The Forge is going to put some much needed pride back into the town centre and give youngsters a place where they can meet, make friends, receive mental health support and learn new skills,” explained Adam, founder of Headz Up CIC.
“Importantly, it is going to put some much-needed pride back into Dudley and show our members that people do care about them and that they can have a positive future.”
He continued: “Opening the doors is just the start. We still need the local business community and entrepreneurs to get behind us – whether that’s through funding, employee volunteering, using their skills to complete the refurbishment or just spreading the message that we are open and here to help.”
Adam’s involvement in The Forge stems from his own battles with a chronic illness and the mental health struggles that followed.
At just 31-year-old, his life changed overnight when he woke up one morning with a limp in both legs.
Initially, he thought this was just ‘too much football’, but within six weeks he was sitting with a leading surgeon at Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic and being told he had severe arthritis from the waist down, both hips were displaced, and the cartilage in his joints had virtually disappeared.
Worse was to come when the former Bishop Milner Catholic School pupil was told he would likely need walking aids or be confined to a wheelchair by the age of 40.
“Over the following 12 to 13 years, my physical health deteriorated and, with it, my mental health. I gained weight, lost confidence, withdrew from people and slowly lost my sense of identity,” continued Adam.
“The condition affected every aspect of my life. For a long time, I suffered in silence and rarely spoke to anyone about how I was really feeling until I woke up in March 2023 and knew something had to change and, if I did get through this battle, I’d dedicate my life to helping others.”
By the end of that year Adam had undergone the second hip replacement surgery and learned how to walk again. As part of his recovery, he completed a Mental Health First Aid qualification, progressed through further training and eventually qualified as a professional counsellor.
The recovery journey became the foundation for Headz Up, because he wanted other people, facing similar struggles, to know they are not alone and that there is always hope.
“Launching my own social enterprise was about supporting young people, with a strong focus on men’s mental health,” continued Adam.
“We deliver multi-sports sessions, alongside education programmes and professional counselling. A MIND Collective programme, funded by the National Lottery, attracts 100 men every week and is making a massive difference.
“Some of our young people even went viral when we cleaned up the Ducan Edwards statue, with our Facebook post receiving over 300,000 views and receiving positive feedback from Jack Grealish, the Manchester United Foundation and Sir Stanley Matthews’ niece.”
He added: “This is just one example of the difference we can make locally and spurred us on to take the next step and create a space in Dudley, where I’ve lived all my life.”
“Working with my good friend James Bragg and his outstanding Strike Youth CIC initiative, we hatched a plan that has now come to fruition.”
The Forge is looking to secure more funding and in-kind company support to add new services and activities to its expanding offer.
Initially, it currently plans to be open 10am to 6.30pm seven days per week, with free sessional activities for its members.
Strike Youth CIC’s James Bragg added his support: “We are placing the Forge into the heart of Dudley as we want it to be a hub that changes people’s lives for the better.
“It is something that the town has been missing for a very long time and we hope the community will rally around what we are trying to do, so we can start to transform the fortunes of young people in both the short and the long-term.”
To mark the official opening and to help raise funds, Adam is running from Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium to the Duncan Edwards statue.
Now onto day three, the 110-mile gruelling challenge will be the equivalent of running four marathons in four days.
For further information, please visit www.headzup.info or to donate to Adam’s challenge go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/adam-4-marathons-4-days.
