Yorkshire Brewery Backs Youth Charity With £2.5K and Sweat

When Scott Cameron, Kevin Moore, and Dave Jafrate showed up at JAMES charity in Keighley this July, they didn't just want to write a check. The Timothy Taylor's brewery colleagues grabbed paintbrushes and spent the day protecting a canal barge that gives young people real skills and real confidence.

JAMES works with youth, families, and communities across Bradford and Keighley, offering hands-on training through workshops and canal projects. The charity helps young people who need a supportive environment to build practical abilities they can take into the real world.

Earlier this year, Timothy Taylor's Charity Committee donated £2,500 to JAMES after Dave Jafrate nominated the organization. The funding helped pull the barge from the water for essential maintenance work that keeps it safe and functional for the young people who learn on it.

The volunteering day let the brewery team see exactly where their donation went. They toured the workshops and classrooms before joining the restoration project, painting and weatherproofing the vessel that serves as a floating classroom.

For Dave, the day carried extra meaning. In 2014, he joined a charity challenge that saw a barge pulled by hand from Liverpool to Leeds, raising over £40,000 for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. That barge came from JAMES, and remarkably, it was the exact same one the team restored during their visit.

Paul Tiffany, Chair of the Timothy Taylor's Charity Committee, said the organization makes a genuine difference in the local community. He noted how rewarding it felt for colleagues to see their donation in action and contribute directly to the project's next phase.

Kevin Metcalfe, Operations Manager at JAMES, explained that the barge is far more than a boat. It's a practical learning space where young people gain skills, work as teams, and take pride in what they've helped restore and maintain.

The Ripple Effect

The impact extends beyond one restored barge. JAMES has spent 35 years supporting disadvantaged young people and families, giving them opportunities that can change the trajectory of their lives. When a local brewery invests time and money into that mission, it strengthens the entire community fabric.

The partnership shows how businesses can support local charities not just financially but through genuine engagement. Young people at JAMES don't just learn to paint boats; they learn that their community believes in them enough to show up.

One day of painting creates skills that last a lifetime.