Hello! We’re Pie – a creative youth charity in East Kent.

We believe in a world where every young person has a good quality of life with equal access to creative opportunities and a community of support.

Pie gives young people in Thanet a safe space to access life-enhancing opportunities, through youth work, music and arts projects and counselling.

Our free programmes, activities, and events support, encourage and empower almost 1000 8-25 year-olds a year to influence their own lives positively. We help them to learn skills, build confidence, be themselves and connect with others.

Here’s what young people say about Pie:

“What Pie does… it’s pretty much saving people’s lives” Young person
“Pie helps me get out, be productive and make new friends. I’ve met a lot of friends here” Crystal
“It gives you freedom because you can meet different people you wouldn’t normally meet” Billie
“It gives you a fresh start if you’ve been struggling” Miles

Click here for our Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pie Factory Music?

Pie is a creative youth charity based in East Kent that provides a safe space for you to learn new skills, build your confidence, and just be yourself while hanging out with others.

What can I do when I come to Pie?

There is a lot going on, in a good way. You can join Youth Club sessions, where you can play games, meet other people and just hang out. You can get involved in music and creative arts projects or spend time in the Band Room and recording studio, learning or honing music skills. We also have opportunities to progress your music career through our Pie Emerging Artists programme.

Does it cost anything to come to Pie?

No. All our sessions, activities and programmes are free, so you don’t pay anything.

What ages are the sessions for?

Our sessions are for young people aged rom 8 to 25 years. Our Junior youth club is for 8 – 12 years, whilst our Senior Youth Club and a lot of our creative sessions and projects range from 11 or 13 – 17 years. The Emerging Artists music programme is aimed at 18-25 years, but we also consider people 16+. Our Open Arms project for young people from asylum seeking and refugee backgrounds is 13 – 21 years.

Is Pie inclusive for all young people?

Yes, we take pride in being open to all young people. Our staff are trained to support young people from all backgrounds and with varying needs, including young neurodivergent people. Our free programmes and activities are inclusive and empowering for everyone. You can contact us at any time to talk through your needs with us.

Can I get help if I’m going through a tough time?

Yes, absolutely. Beyond the creative stuff, we provide counselling to help you navigate life’s challenges and our youth workers are trained to support you anytime you need. We know that some people experience social anxiety, our space is a safe place to go at your own pace, as and when you want to.

What kind of environment does Pie Factory Music provide for young people?

Pie Factory Music is a registered charity that offers a safe, supportive environment where young people in Thanet can connect with others and influence their lives positively through youth work and the arts.

What specific services are available for vulnerable young people?

In addition to general creative and music programmes and youth sessions, we offer Open Arms sessions specifically for young people from asylum and refugee backgrounds. We also provide professional pastoral care and counselling services to support the mental health and well-being of our attendees.

Are there opportunities for young musicians and artists to progress?

Absolutely. We provide a Band Room, a professional studio, and a platform for youth music. Our Emerging Artist programme is specifically designed to support those looking to further their creative careers.

Is the Ramsgate Youth Centre still open?

Yes! Despite previous concerns regarding Kent County Council selling the building, Ramsgate Youth Centre is here to stay, thanks to our #SaveOurYouthCentre campaign and a grant from the Ramsgate Pride in Place programme. We continue to operate our full range of services from this location.

How can I contact the team for more information or referrals?

You can reach us by telephone at (01843) 596777 or (01843) 596998, or via email at info@piefactorymusic.com. You can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the latest news and event updates.

Our approach

Everything we do is focused on creating opportunities that lead to progression, employment, and better life chances. Especially for those facing challenging life circumstances, so that no young person is left behind and everyone has their voice heard. Supporting the emotional, physical and social wellbeing is our utmost priority. Young people come first and foremost – we include them in our plans and decisions at every level, from our Board to our projects, responding to their needs.

Our expert team

We have a passionate and committed expert team who create a safe, inclusive, welcoming environment open to all young people. Our staff are trained to support people from all backgrounds and with varying needs, including those who are neurodivergent. You can contact us at any time to talk through your needs with us.

Our nearly 25 years of experience and partnership enables us to specialise in working with young people from challenging circumstances. Such as those in care, young people with disabilities and those who face emotional and social difficulties. Ee constantly respond to the needs of young people, striving for social justice and inclusion for everyone.

Our campaign to save Ramsgate Youth Centre

We recently secured the freehold of Ramsgate Youth Centre, saving it from being sold at auction by Kent County Council and ensuring its future as a youth centre for generations to come. Read the full story here.

Interested in what we do?

Our impact 

55,000 young people supported
Through innovative programmes that empower young people to influence their own lives positively.

180,000+ sessions delivered
Providing a safe space for young people to connect, grow, be inspired, be seen, be heard, and be themselves through workshops, projects, activities, events and counselling sessions.

£6.4+ million fundraised for young people
Creating opportunities that lead to progression, employment and better life chances, especially for those facing challenging life circumstances.

Our values

We believe that the way we do things is just as important as what we achieve. Our values are really important to us. We will always be:

Young Person Led – We make space for young people to lead, co-produce and make decisions at every level of our organisation.

Inclusive – We are open to all and commit to breaking down barriers to participation so that everyone feels welcome and has equal access.

Kind – We believe that kindness is an essential part of who we are and we want to model this to everyone we work with.

Creative – We take a creative approach to our work, allowing us to move forwards with openness and innovation.

Collaborative – We’re stronger together and welcome opportunities to collaborate with others.

Brave – We are here to make a difference and will bravely advocate for young people and their needs.

Fun – We believe that it is vital to a healthy organisational culture that fun is at the heart of the way that we work alongside each other.

A tribute to Jamie

Our much-loved and long-standing youth worker, Jamie Ferguson, sadly passed away in summer 2022. A parent of one of the young people in Jamie’s sessions put this huge loss into words beautifully: “Jamie was a wonderful person, he will be sadly missed. He touched our lives with the care and support he gave us even when times were hard”. The Pie family misses Jamie hugely. We have honoured Jamie and the impact he made to our Pie family by naming our band room in his memory, commemorated with a plaque on our band room door.

We aim to provide opportunities that:

Increase young people’s confidence and self-esteem.
Strengthen connections between young people and their communities.
Improve the physical wellbeing of young people.
Improve young people’s foundational skills and technical ability.
Increase the power that young people have to make decisions and effect change.

Our Funders:

Pie Factory Music is a registered charity (number 1097561) that receives the generous support of a range of funders, including:

BBC Children in Need | Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust | Duke of Edinburgh Award | Garfield Weston Foundation | NHS Kent & Medway | Kent Community Foundation | Paul Hamlyn Foundation | Ramsgate Town Council | Swire Charitable Trust | Thanet District Council as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund | The Philip and Connie Phillips Foundation | Youth Music

With this support, we are able to continue to provide the range of programmes and opportunities for young people in East Kent.

We are a politically neutral non-profit organisation that values and champions social justice and equity for all. Our annual returns are available to view on the Charity Commission website. You can read them here.