A youth music project in Totnes, Jamming Station, has launched a £50,000 appeal to transform its venue. The appeal seeks to fund essential fire safety work, a new PA and lighting system, and soundproofing.
Should higher funding levels be reached, the project aims to become a fully equipped youth venue, complete with sensory spaces, an employability café, and training facilities. The Devon venue, known as the Town Mill, is described as "part youth club, part rehearsal room, part training ground for the music industry" for young people, according to a press release.
Jamming Station co-director Jacqui Perks stated that for many young people, the venue is a place where they "finally find their tribe." Perks added that being in a band teaches both music and life skills, such as listening to others and perseverance.
The project began in 2012 when Perks, Beth Coombes, and Lee Friese-Greene started loading amps into cars weekly because their children lacked a place to play music in Totnes. Former student Izzi Warburton, who has toured internationally as a session musician with acts like Primal Scream, highlighted the importance of such spaces for young people to connect and engage creatively.
The appeal comes as the Music Venue Trust reported that 30 grassroots music venues closed permanently between July 2024 and July 2025, with 48 ceasing to operate as gig spaces. An average profit margin of 2.5 per cent meant 53.8 per cent of grassroots venues reported no profit in the last 12 months, leading to over 6,000 job losses.