Council steps in to save town's youth club

The building started being used as a youth centre in 1949

A youth club which stopped operating after more than 70 years is set to reopen after a town council agreed to take it over.

Chard Young People's Centre, in Barberry Drive, had been open since 1949 and hosted sports sessions, games and arts activities for children.

However, in May its trustees said it would be forced to close at the end of July due to financial constraints.

Chard Town Council has now backed plans to take over the centre from mid-August. It said it planned to reopen the building and offer other services in the community as soon as possible, and hoped it would be within the next school term.

"This project is for not only our young people now, but also the heart of our community where support is needed in years to come for future generations of young people," said town clerk and chief executive David Bell.

The town council is set to take a short-term lease on the building and create a community interest company to run youth services at the centre.

While the council will cover the day-to-day running costs, it said it was looking for volunteers to help prepare the building for reopening.

Once up and running, the council said one of its ambitions was to host drop-in sessions before and after school where children could speak to a youth worker and possibly get a bite to eat.

It also hopes to have youth workers carrying out outreach work in parks and other public areas in the town to support young people who might not want to go to a youth club.

The town council said it hoped to reopen the centre as soon as possible

Councillor Jason Baker, chairman of the steering group, said: "It is a privilege to spend time talking to so many people who share the same goal as the town council, which is to provide the youth of Chard with the best and most inclusive services that we can.

"I keep hearing people say there's anti-social behaviour and problems in the park and it's all down to young people. I try to explain that young people need support and something to be involved with."