Wolverhampton youth centre will offer free entry and hot meals

The Way Youth Zone will be able to offer free entry and hot meals thanks to National Lottery funding

A youth centre in Wolverhampton is set to provide free entry and hot meals throughout the winter thanks to National Lottery funding.

The Way Youth Zone, a state-of-the-art facility for young people aged 8-18, currently has 1,900 members.

Now, from Monday until 31 March all young people will get free entry and a hot meal thanks to the new funding.

The money comes from The National Lottery's Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund.

A recent survey of young people in the West Midlands, carried out by the youth charity Onside, revealed 67% are concerned about the cost of living crisis, with 25% of them stopping activities outside of school for this reason.

11,000 meals served

Susan Barlow, head of fundraising at The Way Youth Zone, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer this support to the young people of Wolverhampton.

"Last year, our amazing catering team served 10,986 free hot meals to our young people during the winter months and we are expecting to serve even more this year.

"We know that the current cost of living crisis is putting a strain on many families, and we want to ensure that young people still have access to our fun, engaging activities and support from our youth workers in a warm, safe environment."

The Government's Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund is being delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK.

Grants will support charities and community organisations in England at the frontline of dealing with the increase in the cost of living.