Volunteers want to make Bridport Youth Centre the 'go-to place' for youngsters in the town

Helpers stepped in to save the youth centre on Gundry Lane, when Dorset County Council announced in August 2016 it was withdrawing funding for all youth centres across the county.

A campaign was launched by locals to save the youth centre from closure, backed by The Bridport News. Volunteers stepped in to prevent the town from losing the “safe-haven” for young people, and are now pushing ahead with future plans for the youth centre.

The newly-formed trust is also appealing for locals to join a new 100 Club - to help drum up funds for the new-look youth centre.

The volunteers received initial funding of £5,000 from Bridport Town Council to help with set-up costs.

Trustee Kelvin Clayton, who is also a member of the town council, said: “If it was not for the support and funding, without that town council support in the first place, I do not think this would have gone ahead.

“I do think it is important that people realise just how supportive and pro-active our town council is. We want to make residents of Bridport aware that this facility is here and what is on offer, particularly now as it is a community asset.”

He added: “Community groups already use the building. They were very fearful that it would be closed.

“The youth club is important, but so are all these community groups. We need to ensure it is economically viable as it is very much a long-term project and we would like to develop it.”

Sarah Corke has taken over as manager of the youth centre and is keen to provide more activities for young people in Bridport.

She said: “I was really keen to be on board and at this stage, it’s very exciting.

It is starting something new and there is a lot of potential for the building.”

She added: “I don’t think there’s a lot of affordable activities for young people around here. There’s nowhere kids can go and be somewhere safe and somewhere they can meet their friends and socialise. Here, they can gain experience and enjoy activities and have fun with their friends.

“It is a great time to be involved. There’s a lot going on, and a lot of opportunities to work with different groups. We want people to be enthused about the centre and involved.

“Even though it is in the centre of Bridport, a lot of people do not know where it actually is.”

The new trust will embark on new projects this year, as well as a fundraising campaign to ensure the premises remain open.

Picture: ROBERT GOLDEN

Chairman of the trust, Ros Kayes, is excited about the future of the youth centre.

She said: “There is nothing for children to do in Bridport unless you have a lot of money. This is going to be aimed at everybody.

“It was being under-utilised. We want to establish an after-school safe haven for culture and the arts, and see what interests them.”

The trust hopes to launch a creative arts project will be led by Robert Golden, which will run after school every day.

The trust needs to match the £5,000 in order for Active Learning and Skills to deliver the Wednesday and Friday evening sessions on a long-term basis. Local residents are being urged to come forward and join a 100 club, which will offer a cash prize, while at the same time tallying up funding for the youth centre.

Mr Clayton said: “We have recruited Active Learning and Skills but the main issue is about raising the funds to pay them.

“Bridport Town Council have given us £5,000 towards the costs, roughly half the cost for a year. We need to match fund that. I am organising a 100 club. If we can find 100 people to give £5 a month, we will give one of them a £100 prize and provide vital money for what we want to do.”

He added: “It is a very ambitious project.

Picture: ROBERT GOLDEN

“We want to maintain the youth club two days a week. We are hoping to do a Lottery bid for funding with the Bandits, the boxing club and the music studio. We really want to expend young people’s horizons and give them an opportunity to try new things.”

Ms Kayes is keen for the youth centre to give the town something positive to focus on.

She said: “I think people are seeing that funding is important if we want to grow our young people.

“We want this to be a second home away from home for young people in Bridport.

I would think about what Bridport could be like if funding continues to be cut. We start to get the feeling the town is dying when these sort of things happen. There are a lot of empty shops and we need to have something positive.”

Anyone who wishes to get involved or join the 100 club, should contact Sarah Corke at bridport ycc@gmail.com