Back L-R: Fleur Hemming from BVT; Aaron Richards from BVT and a Volunteer Youth Worker and Emma Brown from SYA – Front L-R: Katie Price, Volunteer Youth Worker; Alisha Anderson, Caiden Kenna-Edwards and Alfie Chidlow, all aged 11 who attend the youth club
Volunteers are being sought to support a new youth project that has begun in Telford thanks to a partnership between SYA and Bournville Village Trust.
The new youth project opened at the Oak Tree Community Centre in Lightmoor Village after youngsters in the area were invited to have their say about what they would like to see in the village.
The youth activities are managed and run by SYA, while Bournville Village Trust has funded a part-time professional youth worker who is responsible for the weekly youth club sessions, the development of other activities, which includes a youth forum.
Some residents have already become volunteers but due to the popularity of the youth club, more volunteers from within the community are needed.
SYA is committed to running youth clubs, groups and projects for young people and support voluntary groups across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin while Bournville Village Trust, which has offices in Lightmoor Village, is one of the leading and longest serving independent community-focussed organisations in the Midlands.
The opening of Lightmoor Village Youth Project is the latest in a string of new youth clubs being opened by SYA in 2023 and follows on from the recent relaunch of Bomere Heath Youth Club and the opening of a new youth club at the Watergate Centre in Whitchurch.
Richard Parkes, SYA Chief Executive Officer, said: “I would like to thank Bournville Village Trust for helping us get Lightmoor Village Youth Club off the ground – it is already proving to be a valuable asset for Lightmoor Village.
“There was a real need for the provision of a youth club in Lightmoor Village and the move follows an increasing desire to support and engage local children and young people positively which will help to drive down incidents of youth related anti-social behaviour within the area.
“Youngsters were invited to have their say about what they would like to see in the village and members of our team and Bournville Village Trust have spent time out in the community collating those ideas before designing a project around them.
“The new youth club is led by a professional youth worker funded by Bournville Village Trust. We are also looking for more volunteers to help with supporting the youth worker in running the club.
“Youth clubs play an important role within our local communities and offer structured events which are properly run and give young people somewhere safe to attend on a regular basis to enjoy all kinds of interesting activities.
“We are trying to make sure as many communities within Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin have a youth club available to them and are constantly striving to achieve this.”
The funding has come from the Lightmoor Village Delivery Group – a partnership between BVT and T&W Council – with additional funding from Cllr Raj Mehta and Cllr Jayne Greenaway from their Pride Funds.
Fleur Hemming, Lightmoor Village Estates and Stewardship Manager at Bournville Village Trust said: “There was a real need for youth provision in Lightmoor Village and we have worked hard, in collaboration with others including the young people and residents, to deliver that which now includes the youth groups, forum, healthy living project and outreach work.”
The youth clubs will run in the Oak Tree Community Centre in Lightmoor Village every Wednesday. Junior youth club runs from 5.15pm – 6.45pm for school Years 6 – 8, and senior youth club runs from 7pm – 8:30pm for school Years 9 up to the age of 18.
Anyone interested in volunteering should call SYA on 01743 730005 or email [email protected].
