We’re beyond thrilled to announce that Redz – Stroud’s first youth-led community hub – has reached and exceeded its crowdfunding goal! Thanks to the incredible support of our community, friends, families, and funders, we’ve raised over £5,300 to show the community is fully behind the youth and Redz, their new Youth Hub!
This has been a campaign rooted in youth energy, vision, and determination. From day one, it was the young people who shaped the direction, voiced what they needed, and led the charge with public engagement. The buzz and belief generated by their passion has been truly infectious – and clearly, the community felt it too. Over 140 backers came forward to pledge, share, and champion this vision. With the support of Stroud District Council’s Spacehive fund, we hit our target – and even went into overfunding!
Reading the messages of support has been a joy in itself. One supporter simply wrote, “We hit our funding goal! We’re overfunding!” – a reflection of the excitement and collective power behind this moment. Others added, “Brilliant news, thanks everyone!” and “So excited to see what comes next!” Every comment has been a reminder that this is more than a campaign – it’s a movement of care, trust, and shared vision for what’s possible – just read the comments we got:
So what does this mean in real terms? It means Redz is up and flying! It means we now have the funding to offer tonnes of free space to young people to host their own events, workshops, and meetups. It means we can create a micro-grant pot to fund emerging youth-led groups – which we’ll be working directly with Mutiny: Stroud’s Youth Assembly to help launch – whether that’s zine-making collectives, music sessions, or peer-led support circles. It also means young people from Stroud will be able to connect with others across the country, sharing knowledge, building solidarity, and growing confidence in their leadership.
We’ve said from the start that Redz isn’t just a youth club – it’s a hub for organising, creativity, and community building. The success of this crowdfunder means we can hold space for that vision and make sure it’s young people at the centre, shaping everything from the playlist to the policy.
We want to offer a heartfelt thank you to every person who backed, boosted, and believed in this. Your support isn’t just financial – it’s a statement that youth matter, that their ideas are worth backing, and that our community is stronger when it listens, shares, and shows up.
There’s still work to do, but right now, we’re pausing to celebrate. The future of Redz is in good hands – and it’s just getting started – check out the new web page here for bookings and the timetable: https://stroudcommunityspace.org/redz-youth-hub/
With gratitude and excitement,
The Stroud Community Space team & Redz Crew