On Monday 6 January, the Mayor’s chosen charity – Sieve MK Gateway celebrated the opening of its new temporary premises in the city centre.
The milestone event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Mayor of Milton Keynes, Councillor Marie Bradburn, the official opening was also attended by distinguished guests the Deputy Lieutenant Dr Julie Mills, OBE, and the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Kurshida Mirza.
The charity, which was previously located within The Point, officially re-opened its doors at its new temporary premises at 599 Avebury Boulevard.
The new centre will ensure the charity continue to address educational underachievement among young people across the city, particularly BAME students.
During the celebration, testimonials from young people and parents showcased the transformative impact Sieve MK Gateway has had since the charity opened its doors in 2007.
Following this, two students from The Webber Independent School presented the charity with a cheque for £1,500, which was raised through a Year 10 business initiative where students launched their own business and sold products to the community.
Following the presentations, attendees including volunteers and supporters were given a tour of the new centre which now includes a library, multiple classrooms for tutoring, and exam facilities.
Despite successfully relocating, Sieve MK Gateway continues to face challenges in meeting the growing demand from students to serve the city’s growing population.
Plans to establish a permanent learning and enterprise centre in the North of the city are underway, with hopes of creating a new building which will provide space for tuition and exams, training suites, meeting rooms, studio space, and a community café.
The project which began in 2017 aims to provide a brand-new facility to serve the city’s expanding population, not just for the charity, but for the wider community in Milton Keynes.
SMK Gateway, CEO, Tony Oyakhire, said: “Our new temporary premises represents another step in our ongoing commitment to support young people in Milton Keynes. We are grateful to the Mayor and the community for their support, and we remain dedicated to creating a brighter future for our students. We are determined to one day open the permanent learning and enterprise centre to benefit the people of Milton Keynes and we look forward to bringing that vision to life.”
Mayor of Milton Keynes, Councillor Marie Bradburn, added: “Sieve MK Gateway is doing truly remarkable work in our community, helping to empower young people and address some of the biggest challenges in education today. I am proud to support them in their journey and celebrate the opening of their new premises. I look forward to seeing the incredible impact they will continue to have in Milton Keynes.”
