Newbury Town Council renews funding agreement with Berkshire Youth

Newbury Town Council has renewed its agreement with Berkshire Youth for the provision of detached youth work in Newbury.

The council has stated that one of its priorities is to the support the youth of the town and it has provided £25,000 of its annual budget over the past three years towards youth outreach work provided by Berkshire Youth.

A three-year agreement between the two organisations was signed in 2020, and in 2021 Berkshire Youth officially opened the Waterside Centre, which has since become a valuable space for the young people of Newbury to access support, activities and opportunities.

Newbury Town Council leader Gary Norman criticised West Berkshire Council as part of the announcement.

He said: “Youth services in the district have been dramatically reduced as West Berkshire District Council cut their funding over the past 13 years.”

He was also pleased to announce the agreement renewal on behalf of the town council.

“We are delighted to renew our commitment to Berkshire Youth for a further three years,” he said.

Berkshire Youth chief exectutive Sarah Emery said that her organisation was committed to supporting young people through adolescence and into adulthood, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the Newbury community.

She said: “Today, there is a renewed urgency to our work. More young people are vulnerable to exploitation, becoming disengaged and marginalised and at risk of harm.

“They have nowhere to go where they can meet their peers in a safe environment and so increasingly are meeting in open spaces where there is no level of supervision, support, sense-checking and guidance.

“We are delighted that Newbury Town Council continues to support our mission to bring youth work to young people – where they are, where they meet.”

Town councillor Elizabeth O’Keeffe added: “Berkshire Youth are proven leaders in this field.

“They raised over £1.5m to purchase and refurbish the Waterside Centre, demonstrating their commitment to the youth of Newbury and they provide vital youth services from the heart of Newbury.”

“We are delighted to continue our agreement with them and work in partnership with Berkshire Youth for the benefit of the young people in our community”.

To find out more about Berkshire Youth and the services it provides at the Waterside Centre, visit www.berkshireyouth.co.uk

The organisation has been serving the young people of the county for almost 85 years, and its clubs and groups provide safe environments in which young people can explore new ideas and try new things.