Youth centre Yew can be proud of

NEW lease of life . . . (back, from left) Rais Bhatti (head of Yew Tree Community School), Dawn Fox (Fullcircle director), Becci West (Fullcircle director) and Councillor Graham Shuttleworth with pupils from Yew Tree

A former council youth centre is enjoying a new lease of life under community management.

Ownership of the South Chadderton Youth Centre was transferred to Yew Tree Community School during the summer, and the school now operates the centre alongside community-interest company Fullcircle NW.

The transfer was prompted by the council’s need to make £600,000 in savings on youth and sports provision for 2015/16. Handing the building over keeps it in operation while reducing the council’s costs.

Both Yew Tree and Fullcircle now manage the day-to-day activities within the Alcester Street-based centre, with the school running pre and after-school clubs and Fullcircle carrying out a junior youth club every Thursday and Friday evenings.

Community organisations and groups have also expressed interest in running events in the building.