Two Andover business owners have launched a fundraising appeal to support the work of Yellow Brick Road and help young people facing some of the most difficult circumstances in their lives.
Local property expert Sabrina Gallagher and Joel Kirby, owner of Monopoly Insurance, are calling on the Andover community and fellow businesses to get behind the charity and help it continue its work supporting young people.
Sabrina has spent more than a decade working in property lettings and housing in Andover, bringing her into contact with some of the area’s most vulnerable people, including young people experiencing substance misuse, mental health crises and other significant challenges.
Having witnessed first-hand what can happen when people reach crisis point, Sabrina said those experiences have remained with her and strengthened her determination to help where possible.
After recently meeting the team at Yellow Brick Road she said they were particularly moved by the work being carried out to support care leavers in the Andover area.
For young people leaving care, the transition into adulthood can come without the family support network that many others take for granted. Sabrina highlighted the everyday challenges this can create, from having somebody to call during a crisis to learning practical skills such as managing bills and cooking.
She said: “These are young people who have grown up without the safety net most of us take for granted. No parent to call in a crisis. No family home to fall back on. No one to show them how to pay a bill, cook a meal, or simply believe in them.
“Yellow Brick Road gives them all of that and more. The love, care, attention, and practical knowledge these young people receive is not just kind — it is genuinely life-changing.”
Sabrina and Joel have now launched an appeal encouraging people across Andover to contribute towards Yellow Brick Road’s work.
Rather than attaching the fundraiser to a sponsored run, skydive or other challenge, the pair want the focus to remain on the young people themselves and those working with them every day.
Sabrina said: “I’m not running a marathon. I’m not jumping out of a plane. There’s no sponsored walk or dramatic challenge behind this page.
“We are on the ground, daily, working alongside local teams who give everything they have to these young people — quietly, consistently, and without fanfare.
“Please support this cause not because I’ve walked 10,000 miles to earn it, but because it will mean the world to young people all across this area — and to the volunteers and teams who show up for them every single day.”
The decision to launch the appeal was also prompted by a recent incident which Sabrina said served as a stark reminder of the importance of social responsibility and the consequences when vulnerable people do not have the support they need.
Details of the incident have not been disclosed in the appeal.
Sabrina and Joel are stressing that people do not need to make a large donation to make a difference, with smaller contributions from across the community having the potential to add up to significant support.
Sabrina added: “You don’t have to give a lot. Even a small amount, from enough people, adds up to something that genuinely changes lives. Give a little — it will go a long way.
“These young people didn’t choose the hand they were dealt. But together, we can help change how the story ends.”
The two local business owners are also encouraging other businesses and residents across Andover to share the appeal and help raise awareness of the work being carried out by Yellow Brick Road.
Their message is a simple one: supporting vulnerable young people is a responsibility that can be shared across the community, and even a relatively small contribution can help give somebody the opportunity to build a happier and more stable future.