We're celebrating our 30th anniversary.
We’ve been reflecting on our journey and looking at why our region’s next generation still need more from their learning to achieve great things.
Founded in 1996, the charity was established with a vision to make a positive impact in the lives of children living in disadvantaged areas across the city. Our founder John Buttrick believed that opportunity shouldn’t depend on your postcode, but too often it does. He knew that out-of-the classroom learning could help level the playing field for many of these children and open them up to a bigger world.
Out-of-classroom learning helps level the playing field by:
• building confidence and independence
• improving engagement and behaviour
• strengthening social and communication skills
• making learning meaningful and memorable
John Buttrick said of his time establishing the charity, “it gave me the pleasure and privilege of witnessing the awe and wonder of children learning beyond their classrooms”.
Back in 1996 our Learning Experiences looked like visiting Hull City and Hull FC for behind-the-scenes tours, University of Hull visits and art classes outside in the Yorkshire Wolds.
Today in 2026, thanks to support like yours, we work with 61 primary schools in Hull and 6 East Riding primary schools and take thousands of children from across Hull and East Yorkshire on inspirational experiences like: London to experience the capital city, Edinburgh to visit a new country, Hull City Centre to build a sense of pride in their city and understanding of their heritage, the coast to gain an understanding of the environment – or sometimes just see the beach for the first time!
Not forgetting our ‘HEY CU in the Future’ scheme which sees classes of pupils visit local businesses to experience the world of work first hand and through all of this we ensure that the children we work with are given the tools to be ACE:
So why do we still exist 30 years on?
Hull continues to be one of the most disadvantaged local authorities in the UK, with around one in three children growing up in poverty, making it one of the most economically disadvantaged local authorities in England.
Research shows that disadvantaged children experience fewer enrichment opportunities, which contributes to widening gaps in aspiration, engagement and attainment. Here at HEY CU we are passionate about our region’s young people and their futures – we want them to dream big and we’re here to give them the experiences and tools to achieve great things.
Rose James, CEO on the charity’s milestone year: "When John Buttrick founded the charity 30 years ago, his aim was to ensure that a child's postcode and circumstances doesn't stop them from having opportunity to reach their potential. 3 decades on, the charity has provided opportunities to tens of thousands of young people. We are hearing back from former HEY CU children, now grown up, who tell us just how much of an impact their experiences had. Sadly, there are still thousands of children in our area that rarely see beyond the end of their street, so our work is far from over. I feel so privileged to be leading this amazing charity into its 30th chapter and I am eternally grateful to our volunteers, donors, supporters, partners and trustees for their ongoing support. "
“Something that I'm incredibly proud of is our ‘HEY CU in the Future’ scheme. We now have over 20 businesses opening their doors to create an experience for our children. These experiences are totally unique and open children's eyes to possibilities they never knew existed. We believe that the earlier young people are aware of careers, the better and we often hear the children say that their day at a business has been the best day of their lives.”
Don’t just take our word for it, here’s what the children had to say:
Whilst celebrating the past and all that we have achieved; we are looking ahead to our next chapter. With growing demand for our inspiring Learning Experiences, we are committed to reaching as many children across our region as we can.
Thank you for being a part of our story so far, we hope you will join us for the next chapter as we continue to ignite dreams and light up every path for our region’s young people.
Find out more about how you can get involved and help on our website
The HEY CU Team x