A popular youth centre in Keynsham run by Bath & North East
Somerset Council has relaunched with a concert featuring
local bands following the donation of £30,000 by the Cadbury
Schweppes Foundation.
The Council meets the majority of the running costs of the
centre. However, the Cadbury gift makes a significant contribution
to the TimeOut budget and will help to run the project for another
three years.
The relaunch party took place on 5 September and featured
singer/songwriter Lisa Morgan and local band Blackchalk.
At present more than 50 young people aged 13 to 19 use TimeOut
three days a week. The centre’s programme of activities aims to
encourage young people to be healthy, safe and make a positive
contribution to the community.
TimeOut originally opened in 2003 and is staffed by the
Council’s Youth & Community Service. It works in partnership
with Connexions West of England and is also a base for Keynsham
Youth with Voices, a forum to enable the views of local young
people to be heard and taken into account when decisions that
affect them are being made.
In addition, staff work closely with the two local secondary
schools providing support for young people at risk of being
excluded.
The project provides a range of activities for young people
including work on issue based concerns such as drugs and healthy
lifestyles. It also provides an information point for young people
to access Connexions personal advisors.
As well as ongoing support from Cadburys Trebor Bassett the
project has received considerable support from Keynsham Town
Council
Councillor Paul Crossley, Leader of the Council commented, "The
centre aims to be forward-looking and genuinely open and responsive
to the needs of young people. I am delighted that the great work
being done by the Bath & North East Somerset Council team at
TimeOut team can continue for another three years and I am grateful
for the support that the project has received from the Cadbury
Schweppes Foundation.
Mark Willcox, TimeOut Youth Worker, said: "It’s a double
celebration to receive this grant from Cadbury Schweppes and to
mark our re-opening after the summer break.
"The young people who use TimeOut make it the vibrant success it
is. We’re looking forward to a packed programme of activities in
the coming months."
