Steps taken to reopen closed Hellesdon youth club
Action is being taken to relaunch a youth club which closed earlier this year due to council cuts.
Hellesdon's youth club, the Big H, shut in May this year after Norfolk County Council cut its youth services as part of a package of cost-saving measures.
As a result of the cutbacks, the weekly club, based at Hellesdon High School, lost its youth worker.
Now, the community, neighbourhood policing team, parish council and the high school are all working together to reopen the Friday night initiative.
Police community support officer (PCSO) Chris Rolph said: 'It's not up and running again yet but we are very close and all the threads and links are virtually in place.
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'We have found five community volunteers who have come forward to help run it and we are working with Momentum, an umbrella organisation which will do all the support, and negotiations with the school are ongoing.'
The youth club was initially set up about three years ago by the Hellesdon and Horsford Safer Neighbourhood Team to offer children and teens in the village diversionary activities in a safe environment.
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It was held on the Friday night as that was deemed to be the police force's biggest anti-social behaviour evening at the time. Nuisance behaviour in the neighbourhood has since dropped.
About 40 to 60 young people would attend the weekly sessions.
Shelagh Gurney, a district, county and parish councillor for Hellesdon, said: 'The funding for the youth club is still in the precept, it's just about finding the suitable people to run it and ensuring that the school is happy with the night.'
Officials from the school, parish council, SNT and Momentum will meet later this month.
Are you trying to save a community initiative in the area where you live? Call reporter Kate Scotter on 01603 772326 or email kate.scotter@archant.co.uk.
