A NETWORK created to ensure youth work continues in Clevedon is set to become a charity and is in need of more people to get involved with its efforts.

Clevedon Commissioning Network has taken on the role of identifying what projects are needed in the town and sourcing funding for them.

This followed last year’s move by North Somerset Council to cut its general youth work budget and leave the responsibility to volunteers.

The network is run by three trustees who have applied for charity status with the Charity Commission to give it a long-term future and allow access to relevant funding.

The network is also made up of representatives of organisations in Clevedon including The Barn, the YMCA, the Curzon cinema, sports groups, the police, town council, churches and the Marine Lake group MARLENS.

All have the similar aim of ensuring there are activities available for young people in the town to ensure they remain engaged and on the right track.

However, the trustees are hoping more people will get involved in the network to enable it to eventually branch-out to groups and services for people of all ages.

Trustee Paul Tompkins said: “We are hoping to be registered as a charity to enable us to bid for additional funding sources. It also gives us some long-term stability.

“The three trustees are committed to the network for three years to get it up and running.

“We need more people from the community to get involved to identify activities for people of all ages.

“At the moment we are focusing on those aged 0-25 but who knows where it could go in the future.”

For the next financial year, Clevedon Town Council has allocated £18,000 in its budget to go to The Barn, which will enable it to maintain the youth sessions it currently runs as well as to put on additional ones. It will also give £10,000 to the YMCA.

Paul added: “The town council has really stepped up to the mark.

“They are very supportive of the commissioning network. They are talking to us about possible future funding and working with us to identify projects that would be for the benefit of Clevedon as a whole.”

* Anyone wishing to get involved in Clevedon Commissioning Network can email info@clevedoncommissioningnetwork.co.uk