01. Where it all started
The old pensioners’ hut had once been the heartbeat of the Lowton community, providing a place where older residents could meet, socialise and take part in activities. By the time we inherited the site as part of the asset transfer, however, the hut had already been abandoned for decades.
The building was in a severely poor state, with damp and rot taking hold and the surrounding area becoming overgrown and neglected. With the hut no longer in use, the site had become a magnet for vandalism and anti-social behaviour, turning what had once been a well-used community space into a problem for the area.
Then, during a particularly harsh winter, the already deteriorated roof finally collapsed. The condition of the building had become so bad that there was no possibility of bringing it back into use. It was unsafe and presented a genuine risk to anyone entering the building or the area around it.
We had no choice but to safely remove it.
The demolition left us with an empty space, but it also presented an opportunity. Rather than simply clear the site and leave another neglected corner of the Hub, we began to ask a different question: what could this space become?
02. What could this space become?
Through extensive community consultation over two years, we identified a growing need for more positive opportunities for young people, particularly those who were struggling to find their next step in education, employment or training.
We wanted to create more than somewhere for young people to spend a few hours. The aim was to provide a place where they could develop practical skills, gain experience, build confidence and take on responsibility within the community.
The idea of a community pizzeria began to take shape because it offered a practical way of doing exactly that. Making and serving pizzas creates a real working environment where young people can learn about food preparation, teamwork, communication, customer service and responsibility, while seeing the results of their work immediately.
But the pizza was never the end goal. It was the vehicle that would bring young people into the project and give them a reason to engage.
From that simple idea, Slice of Hope developed into a wider youth programme combining volunteering, skills development, mentoring and leadership, with opportunities for young people to progress as their confidence and experience grows.
03. from idea to plan
The original plan for Slice of Hope was relatively modest. We applied to the National Lottery Community Fund for funding to safely remove the old hut and replace it with a shipping container that could provide a small training space for young people.
It was intended as a starting point. We wanted to test the idea, begin working with young people and allow the project to develop as we learned what worked and what was needed.
As the plans developed, however, it became clear that one container would limit what we could offer. We wanted enough space to work with groups of young people, provide practical training and volunteering opportunities, and create a facility that could support the project as it developed.
Support began to grow around the idea as support from Wigan Council through Match My Project, contributions from local businesses and the commitment of volunteers allowed us to think beyond the original proposal.
The plan changed from one container to three, creating enough space for a community pizzeria, training and workshop areas, and a base from which the wider Slice of Hope programme could operate.
What had started as a relatively simple proposal to replace a derelict building had become a much more ambitious project, with the potential to create opportunities for young people for many years to come.
04. building slice of hope
What arrived on site were three empty shipping containers. Turning them into a community pizzeria and training space took months and months of work, with the entire project driven by volunteers and local businesses giving their time, skills and expertise free of charge.
Volunteers worked evenings, weekends and whenever they could, gradually transforming the containers through welding, building, electrical, plumbing and fit-out work. Local trades and businesses also carried out specialist work because they wanted to support the project and create opportunities for young people.
More than 85% of the materials used were recycled, reused or repurposed, making the most of what was available and keeping the project rooted in the same community spirit that created it.
What you see today was built piece by piece by people who simply wanted to help make it happen.
05. creating opportunities for young people
Slice of Hope has been designed as a programme that allows young people to become involved, develop their skills and take on greater responsibility as they progress. It is aimed particularly at young people who may be struggling with education, employment or finding their next step, but the opportunities begin much earlier.
Younger participants can take part in pizza-making workshops, learning about food, teamwork and practical skills. As they get older, they can move into volunteering, gaining experience in a real working environment through Dojo Pizza while developing communication, responsibility and employability skills.
For those who want to take things further, the programme provides opportunities to develop leadership skills, mentor younger participants and play an active role in shaping the project through the Youth Steering Board.
Alongside this, the youth club will provide a regular place for young people to meet, socialise and take part in activities. The intention is to create a pathway rather than a series of disconnected activities, giving young people the opportunity to move from participation into volunteering, leadership and, ultimately, whatever their next step might be.
Slice of Hope was designed around a set of connected aims that work together rather than sit separately.
Employment skills are built through experience, not through classroom learning.
Young people develop communication, teamwork, time management, customer service, food hygiene, problem solving and responsibility by taking part in the day-to-day running of Dojo Pizza.
Preparing food, serving customers, maintaining high standards and working as part of a team provides genuine workplace experience in a supportive environment.
The aim is to help every young person leave with greater confidence, practical experience and skills that employers value.
Volunteering gives young people the opportunity to make a positive contribution to their community while developing confidence and a sense of purpose.
Volunteers become part of the team, supporting activities across Slice of Hope and the wider community hub. They gain experience, meet new people and learn the value of commitment, reliability and giving something back.
For many, this will be their first experience of responsibility within a real community setting.
Every young person benefits from positive role models.
Through Slice of Hope, young people are supported by experienced volunteers and mentors who encourage, guide and challenge them to achieve their potential.
The focus is on building confidence, resilience and self-belief while providing a safe environment where young people feel supported to learn, make mistakes and grow.
As young people gain experience, they are encouraged to take on greater responsibility.
Leadership opportunities are built into the project, allowing participants to help organise activities, support new volunteers and contribute to the running of sessions.
Developing leadership skills helps build confidence, communication, decision-making and accountability while preparing young people for future education, employment and community roles.
The Youth Steering Board ensures that young people help shape the future of Slice of Hope.
Rather than simply taking part, members will have opportunities to influence decisions, develop new ideas and help plan future activities and events.
By giving young people a genuine voice, the project encourages ownership, responsibility and civic participation while ensuring the programme continues to reflect the needs of the community it serves.
Slice of Hope will support the re-establishment of Lowton Youth Club as a modern, welcoming space where young people can meet, socialise and take part in positive activities.
The youth club will build on the relationships and confidence developed through volunteering and training, providing ongoing opportunities for friendship, learning and community involvement.
Income generated through Dojo Pizza will help support the long-term sustainability of the youth club, ensuring it remains accessible for future generations of young people.
05. Dojo Pizza
Pizza with purpose
Dojo Pizza is the social enterprise we have partnered with at the heart of Slice of Hope, providing the working environment where young people can put the skills they develop into practice.
Rather than learning about responsibility and employability in a classroom, young people can experience it for themselves — preparing food, working as part of a team, serving customers and taking responsibility for their role. The principles behind Dojo Pizza reflect those of judo: discipline, respect, repetition, improvement and mutual benefit.
It also provides an important foundation for the future of the project. Income generated through Dojo Pizza will be reinvested into Slice of Hope, helping to fund youth activities, training, equipment and further opportunities.
The aim is to create a model where the enterprise doesn’t simply sit alongside the youth programme, but helps sustain and develop it.
06. A space for the community
Although Slice of Hope has been created with young people at its heart, the space has been designed to benefit the wider community eco-system too.
The area around the old hut has been transformed with new paving, planting and landscaping, creating an accessible outdoor space that can be used alongside the pizzeria. It provides somewhere for workshops, community activities and events, as well as a place where people can simply meet and spend time together.
This is important because Slice of Hope isn’t intended to become a facility that sits separately from the rest of the Hub. It forms part of the wider community, bringing different generations together and giving local people another reason to use a space that had previously been neglected.
The old hut once provided a place for older members of the community to come together. We hope Slice of Hope can create that same sense of belonging for a new generation, while remaining a space that the whole community can share.
07. The next chapter
The building is now complete, but this is where the important part of the project begins.
From September, youth volunteering will expand, the Youth Steering Board will become more established and the youth club will develop into a regular weekly offer. Through Dojo Pizza, young people will also begin gaining practical experience in a real working environment, with opportunities to develop their skills and take on greater responsibility over time.
The ambition is to create a clear pathway from participation into volunteering, leadership and further education, training or employment. We want young people to be able to start with a simple activity, discover what they are good at and, if they want to, keep progressing through the project.
After everything that has gone into creating the building, it will be the young people who ultimately determine what Slice of Hope becomes.
That is the opportunity we set out to create when we first looked at the old pensioners’ hut and asked what could come next.
Thank you
None of this would have been possible without the people who gave their time, skills and energy to make Slice of Hope happen.
From clearing the site and transforming the containers to fitting, building, painting and preparing the space, volunteers have supported the project throughout. Local businesses and tradespeople have also given their expertise, materials and services, often fitting the work around their own commitments and, in many cases, giving their time completely free of charge.
We would like to thank every volunteer, business and individual who has played a part in the project. Whether you gave a few hours or have been involved throughout the build, your contribution has helped turn an abandoned and derelict building into something that can now give back to the community.
Thank you for helping us create Slice of Hope.
