Giving Bolton’s Forgotten Young People the Future They Deserve
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What began as a spark in a school classroom has grown into a powerful initiative aiming to transform young lives across Bolton—turning lived experience into leadership and second chances into brighter futures.
We Shine Any Car is a Genuine Futures initiative, born out of a “Taste of Enterprise” programme delivered by business partners Sam Smith and Mike Alleyne to support young people at Aurora Woodlands School. Both saw first-hand how a simple, hands-on opportunity could ignite ambition in those who felt overlooked and left behind. They knew this could be something bigger—something that gave more young people across Bolton a chance to build skills, confidence, and a future they could be proud of.
That’s when Sam reached out to Terry Walker, founder of The Scrappers. Sam shared the success of Genuine Futures, and the two quickly realised they shared not just a vision but a past. Both Bolton-born, both raised in care, and both having spent time in the same secure unit a few years apart, they understood what it felt like to be forgotten by the system. They agreed that no young person should have to face that feeling alone.
Terry offered space at The Scrappers, including a dedicated car wash, valeting area, and office to launch a real-world training and enterprise programme that gives young people hands-on skills, confidence, and a clear path forward.
A Mission Rooted in Lived Experience
For Sam, the road from care wasn’t easy. Moving from children’s homes to instability, he spent years feeling lost before eventually carving a new path through enterprise. Starting his first business from the boot of a car, he went on to train hundreds of young people in Blackpool and, after 26 years away, he’s now back home in Bolton to make sure others don’t have to walk the same hard road alone.
For Terry, those memories of growing up in care and feeling like no one believed in him fuel a passion to do things differently.
“I know what it feels like to think nobody believes in you,” says Terry. “That’s why I’m proud to open our doors to Genuine Futures and believe in what the team is doing to support young people—to give them the opportunities I wish someone had given me.”
Building Skills, Confidence, and Futures
We Shine Any Car offers more than just vehicle cleaning services. It’s a real-world training and enterprise programme designed to give young people practical skills, workplace experience, and nationally recognised qualifications to help them move towards employment or their own business ventures.
In addition to the training programme, we will also offer schools and alternative education providers the chance to bring pupils to our site one day a week. This provision is specifically for young people who are disengaged, at risk of exclusion, or already excluded, giving them a safe, structured environment where they can learn, grow, and discover their potential.
Through this initiative, young people gain:
- Hands-on training in vehicle valeting and maintenance
- Confidence and teamwork skills
- NVQ qualifications to support future employment
- A sense of purpose and belonging in a supportive environment
A Community Effort to Change the Story
We Shine Any Car is about much more than cars—it’s about people. It’s about building a bridge between young people and a community that believes in their potential. It’s about turning pain into purpose, and experience into leadership.
This is a Bolton-born project driven by people who understand the challenges many young people face because they’ve lived it themselves. And now, with the support of local businesses, schools, and the wider community, we’re creating opportunities that change lives.
Get Involved
We believe that together, Bolton can ensure no young person is left behind. Whether you’re a school looking for alternative provision, a parent seeking support for your child, or a community member who wants to make a difference, we want to hear from you.
Email: hello@genuinefutures.co.uk
We Shine Any Car isn’t just about washing cars—it’s about giving Bolton’s forgotten young people the future they deserve.