A YOUTH centre which has been helping young people in Yate for more than 45 years has stopped its youth work due to lack of funding.


The St Nicholas Youth Centre, in Abbotswood, has ended its youth provision due to financial difficulties after years of safeguarding its services in the town.


The trustees of South Gloucestershire Youth Initiative (SGYI), the charitable trust which manages the centre, based at St Nicholas Family Centre, announced the news last Thursday.


The centre will remain open but the youth work has now stopped and trustees and councillors are hoping another organisation will offer support and conduct work there again.


The centre launched the SGYI in 2012 and was the first in the district to set itself up as a limited company.


Chairman of the South Gloucestershire Youth Initiative, the Rev Iain Macfarlane, said: “It was with a heavy heart in December that the trustees of South Gloucestershire Youth Initiative decided to dissolve the trust due to lack of funding and hence to finish the programme of youth work at the centre. Other users will continue to use the centre.


“It has become increasingly  difficult to obtain funding and, despite the committed and hard work of the staff and trustees, the painful and difficult decision to finish the work was made.
“The trustees are hoping that, in due time, another organisation will offer to conduct youth work in the centre again. However, in the current and difficult financial climate, there is no guarantee that this will transpire.


“We have 130 young people who have attended the youth centre since September 2014, with 30 to 40 young people on an average night. We also have a young carers group who meet once a month at the centre on a Saturday, and every effort is being made to secure this work for the long term.”


St Nicholas Youth Centre was built in 1969 by the Diocese of Gloucester to serve the new housing estate in South Yate which was then scheduled to be built.


Until 2011 St Nicholas YC received a large annual grant from South Gloucestershire Council, which was cut to zero in 2013.


In 2013 it succeeded with grants from Yate Town Council, South Gloucestershire Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner.


Mr Macfarlane added: “The trustees wish to pay tribute to the hard work of St Nicholas’ staff over more than four decades, and to the wonderful young people of South Yate who have been a privilege to work with.”


Yate councillor Chris Willmore said: “The council was devastated to get the news it was closing and were only told the day before it closed its doors. Young people, and generations of young people before them, have relied upon this facility.  


“Whilst SGYI have only been running the youth club for the last couple of years, they took on running a youth club that has been serving the community there successfully for  45 years.We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to everyone who has been involved over all those years.


“People should not blame SGYI, we know they did not take this decision lightly, and found it a painful decision. The most important thing is to think about the young people and to focus on getting the place open again as soon as possible.”


The town council was informed of the decision to dissolve the youth work at the centre and has already started planning to reopen it with a new provider.


Cllr Willmore added: “The church have kindly agreed to provide the premises, and the town council has agreed to make money available. We think we have found a way to get something open Fridays at  the centre from February onwards as a start, but we are looking to get more in place.”


To suggest organisations to the council call: 01454 866506.