What YMCA Fairthorne Group does

YMCA Fairthorne Group is a registered charity (no. 1090981) and housing association (no. 4875) operating across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, delivering integrated children, youth and community support services. Its portfolio spans six early years nurseries (4 months to school age) running the proprietary Little Steps, Giant Leaps curriculum and the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) SEND framework; supported housing for 280+ young people aged 18-30 across Southampton (George Williams House), Basingstoke and the Isle of Wight; and the flagship 95-acre Fairthorne Manor outdoor activity centre offering day camps, residentials, holiday clubs, venue hire and seasonal camping with river access. The organization also runs the annual Young Carers Festival, the largest event of its kind in the world, and operates community centres, a community library, sports and uniform groups across multiple sites. In 2025 the group rebranded its housing function to Youth Services, introducing a new curriculum and shifting emphasis toward prevention, outreach and post-move-on support.

The business model blends earned income (nursery fees, venue and accommodation hire, day camp and activity fees), public-sector grants (Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, DWP Household Support Fund, UK Youth Fund) and fundraising (individual donations, corporate charity partnerships with DP World, Tesco, Co-Op, Fine & Country Southampton, Starbucks, Specsavers, Zurich and Solent Rotary). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through physical locations and a self-serve online booking platform, supplemented by referrals from local authorities, NHS, schools and social services. Marketing spans website, email, social media, events and earned press coverage, anchored by the 180-year-old YMCA master brand and supported by 115 volunteers contributing 45,000+ hours in 2025.

In 2025 the organization reported its highest nursery occupancy since before the Covid-19 pandemic, delivered over 1.1 million hours of early years education and reached 1,360+ children through ICP inclusive practice. It secured WorkL Great Place to Work accreditation in November 2025 and was shortlisted for the Youth Matters Awards 2025. Leadership is headed by CEO Phillipa Spicer with a Director of Youth Services, Director of Early Years and Director of People overseeing 251-500 employees. A new early years setting is slated to open in 2026 via a partnership with Hounsome Fields Primary School in Basingstoke.

Name

YMCA Fairthorne Group

Legal name

YMCA Fairthorne Group

Website

https://ymca-fg.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

YMCA Fairthorne Group is a Hampshire and Isle of Wight charity operating six nurseries, supported youth housing, and a 95-acre outdoor activity centre, serving 29,000+ children, young people and families annually through childcare, youth services and community programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Child Care Services (62441), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD)

Keywords

• Early years nurseries
• Youth housing support
• Outdoor activity centres
• Community support services
• Childcare and education

Headquarters

HQ city

Southampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Childcare and Nursery Fees: Fees charged for early years nursery services across 6 locations in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate donations, and fundraising events supporting charitable activities
3. Grants and Funding: Grant funding from local authorities, government bodies, trusts and foundations including Co-Op Community Fund, Tesco, UK Youth Fund, Portsmouth City Council, DWP, Hampshire County Council
4. Accommodation and Venue Hire: Rental income from youth housing and venue/facility hire services
5. Activity and Programme Fees: Fees for day camps, holiday clubs, residential trips, and outdoor activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

YMCA Fairthorne Group is a registered charity and housing association that delivers early years nursery childcare across six locations, supported housing for young people aged 18–30, and a portfolio of outdoor education, day-camp, holiday-club, residential and community programmes anchored at Fairthorne Manor. Services are funded through a mix of nursery fees, government-funded childcare places, grants, donations, and corporate partnerships across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Product overview

YMCA Fairthorne Group is a charity providing children's, youth and community support services across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The organisation operates a portfolio of interconnected services rather than a single product. The core offerings include: six nursery settings (YMCA Nurseries) across Hampshire and Isle of Wight providing early years care for children from 4 months to school age, with the Little Steps, Giant Leaps curriculum framework; youth housing services in Basingstoke, Southampton, and Isle of Wight supporting young people aged 18-30; and Fairthorne Manor, the flagship 95-acre outdoor activity centre providing Day Camps, Holiday Club, Residential trips, Day Visits, Campsite, River Access, and venue/facility hire. The Group also delivers community services through centres in Eastleigh, Andover, and Newtown, runs the annual Young Carers Festival (the largest in the world for young carers), and offers sports groups, uniform groups, and the Adventures Away From Home funding programme. These services are coordinated to provide a continuum of support from early years through youth to independent living.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Young Carers Festival: Annual event supporting young people with caring responsibilities, providing a weekend of outdoor adventure, water activities, entertainment, and opportunities to connect with others who understand their situation.
• Little Steps, Giant Leaps
• Adventures Away From Home
• Y-PASS

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,138,359 hours of early years education and care provided
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fine & Country SouthamptoncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Estate agents partnership providing linen packs (initial £750 donation plus £2,948 funding) for young people arriving at George Williams House supported housing, offering dignity and comfort from first night
• Co-Op Community FundcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrant funding support through Co-Op's community fund programme
• Tesco Groundworks Stronger StartscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding programme supporting early years and childcare activities
• UK Youth FundcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrant funding for youth services and programmes
• Portsmouth City CouncilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal authority partnership providing funding and support for youth services
• Hampshire County CouncilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMain local authority partner for early years and community services
• DWP Household Support FundcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment funding for household support initiatives
• The Children's SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership creating the annual Young Carers Festival - the largest in the world for young people with caring responsibilities
• StarbucksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYoung Carers Festival supporter providing refreshments and food donations
• DP WorldcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing Charity of Choice status and ongoing support for Young Carers Festival
• Zurich InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter for Young Carers Festival and general operations
• Solent RotaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService club support for Young Carers Festival
• Pains FireworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFireworks provider for Young Carers Festival evening entertainment
• SpecsaversminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter
• Places LeisureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter
• Dr Elena SoukakoucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearcher and creator of Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) framework providing expert guidance and training for early years inclusive practice
• NHScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitywide partnerships for youth wellbeing projects and mental health initiatives alongside youth services team

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PGL Travel: UK provider of outdoor education and adventure activity centres offering residential trips, day visits and adventure holidays. Direct competitor to Fairthorne Manor's day camps, residentials, and school trips offering.
• Depaul UK: UK charity providing accommodation and support services for young people experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable to YMCA Fairthorne Group's supported housing services for young people aged 18-30 across south coast locations.
• The Children's Society: UK national charity focused on disadvantaged children, young people and young carers. Co-development partner on the Young Carers Festival with YMCA Fairthorne Group, and operates overlapping young carer and youth support services.
• Busy Bees Nurseries: UK's largest nursery chain with 330+ settings. Competes directly with YMCA Fairthorne Group's six Hampshire and Isle of Wight nurseries for the same parent segment and Ofsted-rated childcare market.
• Kids Unlimited (now part of Family First): UK nursery operator within the Family First group running multiple Ofsted-rated settings. Comparable commercial nursery operator competing in same Hampshire market for funded and fee-paying early years placements.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: UK premium nursery chain operating hundreds of nurseries, including employer-sponsored provision. Directly comparable commercial competitor to YMCA Fairthorne Group's six-nursery estate, particularly for working-parent segments.
• Centrepoint: UK charity providing supported housing and services for homeless young people aged 16-25. Directly comparable to YMCA Fairthorne Group's Basingstoke, Southampton and Isle of Wight youth housing estates and the Y-PASS life skills programme.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA England & Wales: National federation of 82+ independent YMCA associations across England and Wales. The parent brand network for YMCA Fairthorne Group; comparable operating model but at aggregated national scale across youth housing, health, and family services.
• Action for Children: UK national children's charity operating early years services, fostering, and youth support programmes. Comparable to YMCA Fairthorne Group's portfolio of nurseries, youth housing, and family support services, but at significantly greater national scale.
• Barnardo's: Largest UK children's charity, providing fostering, early years, youth services, and supported housing nationwide. Overlaps directly with YMCA Fairthorne Group's nurseries and youth housing services, particularly vulnerable-children support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YMCAFairthorneGroup
• Xx.com/YMCAFG

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YMCA Fairthorne Group