Part of the Birmingham community for over 80 years
The Stonehouse Gang was founded in 1938 by Harry Webb, a local man who dedicated himself to improving the lives of young people in Birmingham. As a press reporter Harry often attended the juvenile court and after witnessing countless cases he realised that often the young offenders weren’t bad, they just needed something to do and someone to believe in them.
With the motto ‘It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness’ Harry set about making a difference, launching The Stonehouse Gang with a small group of lads in a hut on Stonehouse Hill. ‘The Gang’ quickly grew under Harry’s tremendous vision and inspirational leadership becoming a blueprint for many youth organisations in the UK and abroad.
Today ‘The Gang’ is a key part of the Birmingham community, opening its doors to not only young people from the age of six, but also local pensioners and young mums who might otherwise feel isolated.
Overall The Stonehouse Gang welcomes almost a 5000 visitors every year and demand is growing as other local services are being cut. But we can only continue to offer this lifeline with the help of our amazing volunteers and the generosity of both individual and corporate donations.