Our team is absolutely thrilled to be launching a new mural project in collaboration with the Downtown Strathroy BIA! Located just west of London, Strathroy has a lovely, walkable core area with perfect opportunities for spectacular outdoor artwork.
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New Mural Project for Thames Centre!
Our team is thrilled to be launching a new mural project for the Municipality of Thames Centre. Located just east of London, the community offers a mix of urban and rural living – and we love developing artwork for both environments! Throughout 2025 and 2026, we will be connecting with property owners and community partners to coordinate new landmark murals for the area. We look forward to helping tell the story of Thames Centre through stunning visuals.
Top Ten Ways to Make St. Thomas Vibrant for Young Adults
We all know the quiet arc of growing up in a small city or town. Elementary school, high school, and then the decision – where do we go for college or university? If we choose to stay home, where do we work and where do we live? If we go away to school, should we return home at some point? If so, when is the best time to do so? Or should we stay away forever?
Ten Ways to Boost St. Thomas Before the Volkswagen Plant Opens
St. Thomas is home-base for our team at young & free, and we are very excited by the potential growth of the city following the announcement of the new Volkswagen / PowerCo EV battery plant set to open in 2027!
New Donation to the STEAM Centre Supports Innovative Education Programs
The STEAM Centre is very pleased to announce a contribution of $135,000 from a generous local donor to support the continuation of both the ‘STEAM Community Studio’ and the ‘Students Build Cities’ program in collaboration with Thames Valley District School Board and the team at young & free press. Through these programs, local elementary, secondary and even post-secondary students have the opportunity to contribute ideas to shape innovative community projects.
Waking Up St. Thomas
Maddie King and Andrew Gunn of young & free pressare thrilled to announce that we will be assembling a collection of essays for a new book focusing on the ongoing transformation of our hometown of St. Thomas! This will be a contemporary history of the city.
Introducing the Evans Tree Fund for St. Thomas & Elgin County
In June 2020, the Elgin St. Thomas Community Foundation announced that The Estate of Donna Bushell had contributed $100,000 to establish the new ‘Evans Trees Fund’, one part of a series of donations designed to strengthen and invigorate the community. Now, local charitable organizations (including schools) are invited to apply to the fund to support tree-planting initiatives.
Ten Things That Make Middlesex County Awesome!
Middlesex County is full of wide-open spaces & pleasant surprises. Surrounding the City of London in southwestern Ontario, this massive rural area may feel overwhelming at first for visitors trying to discover the essence of the place. There are lots of small towns and villages, including Strathroy, Glencoe, Mount Brydges, Komoka & Kilworth, Ailsa Craig, Parkhill, Ilderton, Lucan, Thorndale and Dorchester. What binds all these places together, aside from the obvious political boundaries? What makes Middlesex County truly a community? What is the identity of the place? This is what our team at young & free pressset out to discover.
TVDSB and 'young & free' to Deliver Innovative Experiences for Local Students
Our team at young & free press is thrilled to announce a new collaboration with the Thames Valley District School Board. From January to June 2021, we will be designing unique, challenging, and memorable learning experiences that will engage elementary and secondary school students directly in real-life projects. The pandemic is limiting how much students can connect right now with local businesses and organizations. We view this as an opportunity to try a new approach that puts students front and centre!
Estate of Donna Bushell Donates $50,000 for 'Emergency Disaster Services Canteen Vehicle'
The Estate of Donna Bushell has provided $50,000 toward the purchase of a new ‘Mobile Canteen’ for the Salvation Army. Serving St. Thomas and Elgin County, the specially-equipped vehicle will provide support to first responders during emergencies and disasters, as well as outreach for homeless and marginalized individuals. The expectation is that the vehicle will arrive and be in-use by spring 2021.