Newspaper clipping taken from page 9 of the South Wales Echo titled 'Youngsters to get central youth club', Butetown, Cardiff, 4 August 1986

Description

An article describing the plans for a voluntary youth club for seven- to twelve-year olds at Barrack Building, Burt Street, South Butetown.

Transcription:

Youngsters to get central youth club
Echo reporter

THE children of South Butetown in the heart of Cardiff's dockland can look forward to having a new youth club right on the doorstep.

The area youth organiser, Mr Stephen Khaireh, set about trying to find a suitable building for a voluntary youth club after discovering that a quarter of the population of South Butetown is under 15 years of age.

Mr Khaireh said: ‘We found that out from a questionnaire that was circulated to residents by Cardiff City Council's priority estates project in Butetown.

“The teenagers are already catered for at the youth centre at Loudoun Square, but that is too far for the youngsters to come from South Butetown, particularly in winter. It could be dangerous for them to be walking around in the dark on their own and there are too many roads for them to cross.

“There is definitely a need for a youth club to cater for the seven- to 12-year olds in the area so we went looking for a building.”

Ideal

Mr Khaireh spotted a place in Burt Street. Barrack Building is owned by Mr Mike Ashley. One of its outbuildings, which started life as an underwater mining depot of the Royal Engineers, was thought to be an ideal home for the new youth club. It is currently in use by installation engineers W R Barrett and Sons, but they plan to move into Barrack Building. Mr Ashley will refurbish the building - half of which will be used by the youth club.

Mr Ashley, whose own business operates from Barrack Building, said: “This club is very important for this area and we will try to help get it off the ground by donating £250 a year and keeping the rent reasonable.

“I hope that we will be able to rally support from other local businesses as well since it will be run on a voluntary basis and have to support itself financially.”

Mr Khaireh, who with community education officer of Butetown Mr Elvin Blades and other Loudon Square youth centre staff will run the new club, said; “The important thing is that this club is run by local people for the benefit of the children of the area - something that matters to us all. We would expect anything up to 100 children at one time.”

From Microform, Local Studies, Cardiff Library.
Image created by The British Library Board.
Copyright: Media Wales.