On 26th February 2013, Fixers from across the country got their voices heard on a national stage at Westminster for the UK-wide launch of Fixers.  The event was hosted by Steve Brine MP and showcased the work of Fixers past and present, allowing them to promote their projects to a large audience including politicians, celebrities and supporters.



Nick Hurd MP, Minister for Civil Society:

 

"I feel very strongly about the need to get behind young people and to encourage them if they care really strongly about an issue, and give them a chance to make a positive difference.  Projects like Fixers are so important as they give young people that confidence.  It's fantastic."

Ainsley Harriott, TV Chef:

"Fixers is a wonderful opportunity for

young people to express themselves.

The fact that its expanding into

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

shows that people are paying attention.

It's brilliant! I absolutely love it."

(Click Ainsley's photo to watch a clip of his interview)

Deborah, Fixer:

“It’s amazing to be here at the Houses of Parliament and to see such a celebration of Fixers.  Working with Fixers really helped me to come out of my mental health problems and I’m hoping it will help other people too.”

Sam Thomas, Fixer:

"For me, Fixers was a platform which could support and enable me to get my project off the ground. Fixers was really key in those early days and even now.  Without Fixers there would be no charity called Men Get Eating Disorders Too."

Nina Hossain, ITV News Presenter:

"The work I have seen here today has really surprised me in terms of how it has gone from a Fixers project to actually making an impact in the real world.  I have met some incredible individuals with difficult stories to tell who are now using their experiences to reach out to others in a very inspirational manner."

Nancy Jones, Fixer:

“Working with Fixers means my voice is being heard to help others in a positive way.  Hopefully my campaign can be used to make other people’s lives better.”

Steve Brine, MP for Winchester:

"Fixers fire themselves up and they fire other people up.  It's absolutely brilliant and I wanted to help them."

 Yvonne Omini, Fixer:

“I feel empowered by seeing all of these Fixers together and it makes me want to do more.

It’s great to be around so many young people who want to rise up and make their voices heard. Everything here is real life. It’s not about celebrity, or fashion or fame.”

Zoe Salmon, TV presenter:

“I think the whole concept of sharing a problem to fix a problem is really exciting.

It can start with just one person being inspired to fix something and then can spiral and help so many other people.”

(Click Zoe's photo to watch a clip of her interview)

 Jonny Lennox, Fixer:

"Fixers are not dealing with hypothetical situations dreamed up in an office or brainstorming session. These are real people, with real stories and real passion to make a difference.

This touches people, and the silence and attention in the room at Westminster proved this!"

Margo Horsley, Chief Executive, Public Service Broadcast Trust:

“Young people are often accused of not thinking about the future. Fixers’ only concern is the future; they are driven to use their experience to prevent others going through what they have been through. They change the lives of people they don’t know – people of all ages and from all backgrounds. And they often discover a change in themselves, too.”

Click here for the Fixers Launch Booklet

Rajay Naik, Vice-Chair of Big Lottery Fund’s UK Funding Committee:

“The impact of Fixers is indisputable. The challenges Britain faces are tough but they are not intractable.  I want the number of young people involved with Fixers to multiply, to domino, and to really unleash that impact across the country.”

(Click Rajay's photo to watch a clip of his interview)