Council agrees to save Bridgnorth youth club for 12 months after community raises £12,000
A Bridgnorth youth club will be able to continue for the next year thanks to a community fundraiser.
Bridgnorth Town Council has agreed to accept a £12,000 donation – raised after the public supported a campaign launched by Councillor Julia Buckley – which will now be used to pay for services at Innage Lane Youth Club for the next 12 months.
The council had already agreed to pay £7,000 towards the service after Shropshire Council withdrew funding – but there was a £12,000 shortfall, leading to Councillor Buckley's campaign.
On Tuesday night the town council agreed unanimously to accept the donation from the campaign to allow the service – one of two youth clubs in the town – to continue.
Councillors commended the community effort in raising the money, along with Councillor Buckley for launching the initiative.
Councillor Buckley told the meeting: "We are very lucky to live in such a community where people are prepared to publicly show their support and use their own money to support such a fantastic youth club."
Councillor David Cooper said that the services could be vital in light of the potential effect of the Covid crisis.
He said: "We are now in a position where there are going to be long-lasting impacts of the pandemic."
He added: "It is a particular concern with the impact it will have on young people so I am glad we can keep this facility because we do not know what on earth the impact will be and what the demand will be so we need to keep the facility, and I am glad Councillor Buckley has been able to get such a degree of support."
The vote to accept the funding was passed unanimously but it included an amendment added by Councillor Ron Whittle, which states that the agreement is on the understanding "that the council funding is for one year only while alternative funding is sought".
