200 youngsters to attend club relaunch (From The Oxford Times)

200 youngsters to attend club relaunch

12:00pm Monday 23rd January 2012 in Wantage

WANTAGE’S youth club is to reopen on Friday more than a year after it was threatened with closure.

The Sweatbox Youth Centre lost its funding in Oxfordshire County Council cuts but King Alfred’s Academy stepped in to help hire staff and pay for the building.

About 200 youngsters are expected to come to the relaunch party featuring four live music acts. The centre, which is based at King Alfred’s East Site in Springfield Road, has been closed since the summer holidays.

It was due to reopen in December but the relaunch was delayed while staff were recruited and the first phase of a £20,000 refurbishment was completed.

Area youth worker Garry Kingett said: “We have had great support from the local community and great support from King Alfred’s Academy.

“There is a lot of goodwill around the place for us to open up and make it a success. But the key thing is we can now concentrate on the needs of the young people in the community.”

The youth club, which has more than 3,000 members, is run by youngsters in the Sweatbox Union.

Mr Kingett added: “The Sweatbox Union has been active all this time and has been a key driving force behind what we are doing.”

He said although the venue was music orientated there would be staff on hand to provide support and advice if needed.

The second phase of the refurbishment will be a revamp of the coffee bar area at Easter.