Youth services will continue

Pill Children and Young People’s Partnership has made agreements with two youth service providers for them to begin work in the village in April, when North Somerset Council-funded youth work will stop.

The partnership was set up in January to unite all groups and organisations working with youngsters in Pill and Easton-in-Gordano and to ensure such schemes continue to run in the area.

The partnership has made agreements with Inspire, an organisation created by former council play rangers, to continue children’s activities in the village, such as at the play pod or multi-use games area at Watchhouse Hill, as well as the youth drop-in at the resource centre in Baltic Place.

Youth Outreach, which is made up of former council youth workers, will be brought in to run sessions at the youth centre in Church Place for three nights per week, from 6.30-9.30pm. These will both start work following the school Easter break.

The partnership has been given �15,000 by Pill and Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council for the next financial year, however, there is still only enough money to fund these agreements until September.

North Somerset Council is due to make a pot of money available in April to help new youth partnerships or networks get started.

However, vigorous fundraising will need to take place to secure the future of youth work in the area, which is expected to cost �45,000 per year.

Partnership chairman Kevin Stone said: “We need support on the fundraising side.

“We have only got enough money to keep it going for the next six months.”

Any groups interested in joining or finding out more about the partnership can go to its next meeting at Pill Resource Centre at 7.30pm on May 30.

* Tomorrow (Thurs) from 7.30-8.30pm an evening of celebration will be held to mark the end of the current youth services. Visitors to the resource centre will have the chance to find out about the work the young people have recently completed. Wine and nibbles will be served.