Investing in Banbury’s next generation

There are moments in this role when you can feel something beginning to shift.

Last week at Broughton Castle, I had the privilege of attending the launch of The Sun Fund – a bold, business-led initiative aimed at tackling youth disadvantage in Banbury and opening up real pathways into employment for young people.

What struck me most was not just the ambition of the programme, but the clarity of purpose behind it. This was not about warm words or good intentions. It was about action.

The Fund, established by the Cleenol Group under the leadership of Sam Greaves, has set itself a clear and measurable goal for its first year - 100 internships and 5,000 hours of skills training for young people aged 16 to 25. Alongside this, there will be mentoring, employability support and meaningful exposure to the workplace.

That matters. Because we know that for many young people, particularly those facing disadvantage, it is not a lack of potential that holds them back, but a lack of opportunity, confidence and connection.

What made the lunchtime event particularly interesting for me was the alignment with the themes we explored at the High Sheriff’s Breakfast Conversation in Banbury, hosted by Activate Learning. To be clear, The Sun Fund was already well in development by that point, and rightly so. But it was encouraging to see how closely it reflects the very issues that were being raised in that room - and the role that business can play in responding.

It was also good to see the role of Oxfordshire Youth reflected in the initiative, building as it does on the Business Guardians model. This is a strong example of what can happen when youth sector expertise and business leadership come together with shared intent.

I was particularly pleased to hear Emmy O’Shaughnessy speak about that partnership, alongside Marjorie Glasgow. Both brought a clear sense of purpose and optimism about what can be achieved when we work across sectors.

There was also something quietly fitting about the lunch itself being prepared and served by students from Activate Learning. A small but powerful reminder of exactly why this matters - and of the talent, potential and ambition already present in our young people when given the opportunity to shine.

One of the most encouraging aspects of The Sun Fund is the way it brings together businesses across Banbury. Alongside Cleenol, organisations such as Westminster Group PLC and DCS Group have stepped forward in support. Their backing is not symbolic. It is practical, sustained and rooted in a shared belief that business has a responsibility beyond its balance sheet.

The model itself is refreshingly simple. A contribution of £1 per employee per week, alongside larger commitments from Trustee Patrons, creates a collective fund with real scale and impact.

We often talk about early intervention. The Sun Fund shows what it looks like in practice.

By focusing on young people at a critical stage in their lives, and by building confidence, skills and ambition before problems become entrenched, this initiative goes to the heart of what “Hearing the Young Unheard” is all about.

Banbury is a proud and ambitious town, and The Sun Fund reflects that spirit. There is something quietly powerful about a group of local businesses coming together, not out of obligation, but out of shared purpose, to invest in the next generation.

This is not charity. It is leadership.

And if it succeeds - as I very much hope it will - it may well offer a model that others across Oxfordshire, and beyond, will want to follow.

As ever, I left encouraged.