WeMindTheGap graduation ceremony hosted at Moneypenny HQ

The 2020 and 2021 cohorts of the WeGrow Wrexham programme from WeMindTheGap graduated this week with an evening of celebration at Moneypenny HQ.

Founded by Moneypenny Co-Founder Rachel Clacher, the WeMindTheGap charity has been helping young people since 2014. The social mobility charity focuses on improving job skills and opportunities for young people across the North West and North Wales.

Speaking about the evening, Rachel said: "Thank you, Moneypenny, for hosting our biggest and best WeMindTheGap graduation event ever!

"Not one but two cohorts of young people graduated last night - it was wonderful to celebrate their successes and achievements, and it was just brilliant to hear that every single one of our 2020 graduates, whose original graduation celebration was postponed because of a pesky global pandemic, are contributing to the Wrexham economy because every single one of them is in work or on an apprenticeship.

"We are so proud of all of our 2020 and our 2021 graduates and, can’t wait to hear where their journeys lead.

Thank you to the whole Moneypenny family for welcoming and hosting the WeMindTheGap family in your usual fabulous style."

Each of the young women graduating from the WeGrow programme celebrated completing work placements with the charity's employer partners, including Moneypenny and The National Trust.

Throughout the 12 month course, the 'gappies' have worked with life coaches, made lifelong friendships, developed their essential skills in addition to gaining new qualifications. They have challenged their comfort zones from caving to paddle boarding and visiting London.

Cara, a graduate from the 2021 programme commented:

“When I started the programme I thought I was unemployable. As the programme ends, I have two employment opportunities to choose from!”

Hannah graduating from the 2020 programme tried to find the words to sum up her experience with WeMindTheGap:

“There are no words to describe what WeMindTheGap did for me in these 6 months. I’m a completely different person now and I’m so grateful I was given the opportunity to better myself”.