New bid for youth club in town (From Thurrock Gazette)

New bid for youth club in town

3:00pm Friday 15th March 2013 in News

A NEW youth club will be set up in Stanford-le-Hope to give bored kids a place to go.

Redeeming Our Communities, a Christian charity, held a presentation at the Victoria Road Chapel to tell parents about their plans for the 11 to 18-year-old centre.

The club, which will be called the ROC Cafe, will be open one night a week to begin with, but may expand if it proves popular.

Rob Groves, who lives in Stanford-le-Hope, is working with ROC and the police to set up the club.

He explained: “We have had a really positive response so far.

“We called a public consultation as we want to speak to local people.

“There will possibly be different age groups on different nights – it depends on how many nights we can open.

The group is now hoping to get funding for improvements to the church hall as well as pool tables, table tennis tables and a games console. Volunteers are also needed.

Mr Groves added: “If we got 25 volunteers we could run it more often. We want volunteers to come forward and give up as much time as they can or even once a month on a Friday.

“They don’t have to be part of the church, it is open to anyone in the community.”

Mum-of-two Nadine Gardner-Holt came along to the meeting to find out more. She said she wanted more places for her children to go.

She said: “I have seen a lot of changes in Stanford over the 40-odd years I’ve been here.

“My concern is seeing the groups of children and the way they are behaving, just causing trouble.

“The other side of the coin is where have they got to go? The answer is nowhere. Round here what is there for you to do?”

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