“Around 100 young people use our facilities every day”

Our Asda community champions help to put a spotlight on a charity or community group in need of help. This issue, Community Champion Jess Drake – who works at Asda in Edmonton Green, north London – catches up with Chris McCoy. He is director of local youth club Northside Youth & Community Connexions (NYCC), which he started up to help empower young people in response to the effects of gang culture.

Jess: I remember our first meeting clear as day. I’m a woman of few words and you’re a man of many words –so you did most of the talking! Your passion was inspiring and by the time you left I was 100% convinced that your grant application deserved my full focus and support.

Chris: If I came over as passionate, that’s no surprise – empowering young people in this community has been my driving force since I launched NYCC in 2009. Back then, kids were literally dying on the streets because of gang violence, and the problems in our community have only grown deeper since. There’s not much help for them out there. You were so welcoming, I felt supported from the start.

Jess: This is my community too. I live nearby and have a 10-year-old son of my own. I know what goes on, and how families struggle to keep youngsters away from the gang lifestyle.

Chris: It’s personal for me, too – I grew up in the area, and have seen kids being let down and told they’ll never amount to anything. But I believe every young person can achieve great things with help and support.

Find out about our community champions and how you can get involved from our community board in store. Asda Foundation has supported Northside Youth & Community Connexions youth club with funding in the form of a grant. For more on how the Asda Foundation works and is supporting communities this year visit asdafoundation.org.

Jess: I’ve worked in this store for years, but I knew nothing about the amazing work you were doing – just a couple of minutes away – until we met.

Chris: It’s something that’s evolved slowly. We started out as an outreach project but had been gifted use of a large building to develop into a youth centre. It had been abandoned for years – the ceilings were leaking, there