WOTTON’S long-awaited new youth centre will open this weekend.

The centre, housed the town’s old police station in the Chipping, is officially opening on Saturday, November 17 at 12pm.

People will have the chance to tour the refurbished building, which now includes a large space with a kitchen, an office for youth work and one to one sessions and a special DJ area.

Refreshments will be available next door in the Chipping club room from 12.30pm.

Young people in Wotton-under Edge have been without a home for their youth services since the old centre was closed in 2011. Although the town council and the Wotton Youth Liason Group (YLG) funded a reduced service during this time, including a drop-in session at the Baptist Church hall on Rope Walk, this could never compete with having a dedicated youth centre.

Specialist youth provider Young Gloucestershire will be providing the core services at the new club, which are being planned at the moment.

The alterations to turn the police station into a thriving venue for young people have been funded by a variety of sources, including the £702.50 raised for Wotton youth services by the Gazette's 4Youth campaign earlier this year.

The Diamond Jubilee Big Lunch has given over £2100 to the centre, while the St Mary’s Church summer fete, Wotton Ladies Circle and Oakleaze Holdings also contributed substantially.

Mark Lovell, chairman of the YLG said he was thrilled with the way residents have taken the youth centre project into their hearts.

"The loss of our youth centre in 2011 left a large hole in our community," he said.

"I have been staggered but not surprised by the way that, once again, our community has come together to support the re-building of this essential service.

He added: "We now have a magnificent new youth centre and all of us that are involved are excited by the opportunity to use this as the base from which we develop a professional local youth service."

Everyone is invited to come and celebrate this new chapter for Wotton’s young people.