Shoebury Youth Centre attendances double (From Southend Standard)

Shoebury Youth Centre attendances double

9:00am Sunday 24th February 2013 in News By David Trayner

MORE activities and cheaper cafe prices have seen attendance double at an underused youth centre.

More than 100 more young people a month are using Shoebury Youth Centre and overall usage of the £2.9million building, all-but-abandoned last year, has doubled since April.

Heather Flinders, Southend Council’s interim head of children’s specialist services, said: “We can confirm there has been an increase in the use of the premises.

“There have been more than 100 more attendances per month by young people at youth sessions since April and footfall for community usage, with the exception of August, has doubled since April with some months having up to 1700 attendances.”

The Echo reported the centre, opened to much fanfare by Thorpe Bay Countdown star Rachel Riley in 2010, was virtually unused last September.

But a community action group, which includes representatives from Shoebury High School, Shoebury Baptist Church, ward councillors and the council’s integrated youth support services, was launched at the end of last year to boost usage.