A TOWN action group has called for more support for a fledgling youth drop-in centre which officially launched earlier this month.
The Uttoxeter Community Action Group said at its monthly meeting it was particularly disappointed that no town councillors attended the drop-in centre’s open day and official opening.
The Uttoxeter Youth Drop-in Centre is now running at the Pentecostal Church in High Street, giving youngsters between 12 and 16-years-old a safe environment to socialise with friends after school.
Members of the action group praised the work of the centre’s founder Mary Dodgson but stressed that more support was now needed to make it a success.
Vice chairman Jerry Latham said: “We should congratulate Mary Dodgson for the tremendous hard work that she has done.
“We have talked about this youth facility for eight years and suddenly within a matter of months Mary has picked it up and ran with it and now its open and that is down almost 100 per cent to her.” Secretary Bob Divers, who also helps with the drop-in centre, said: “It has now been running for five weeks and has five volunteers working on a rota basis and has about 15 young people dropping in.
“I was disappointed that, although we invited the town council, no one came to the open day and I thought that was disgusting.
“Financially the centre has had a lot of support but it now needs other types of support.” Mr Latham said he was ‘bitterly disappointed’ that no town councillors attended the open day and said it was understandable that numbers were only steady so far.
He said: “I think the centre will become more attractive to young people as the autumn and winter comes around.” Treasurer of the action group John Titlow also felt the time of the year could hold back numbers.
He said: “It was about this time we ran into problems with the former drop-in centre at Waterloo Cafè with it being exam time and with the lighter evenings.” The drop-in centre is open from 3pm to 5pm Monday to Thursday and offers a pool table, games consoles, board games, a tuck shop and refreshments.
