A CHURCH youth club in Gainford has been re-launched in an attempt to appeal to more youngsters.
Having been started at St Mary’s Church last September by Revd Eileen Harrop, Teen Beat has provided dozens of youngsters with a space to hang out and meet new friends.
The free club was originally aimed at children aged between 10 and 14. However, following a 12-month review the group is now open to youngsters aged between eight and 12.
Revd Harrop said: “The group has been meeting for the past year.
“We grew beyond our expectations which was a good thing but we found that the age range was perhaps not quite the right age range to put together.
“When the older ones did come, we found that with the things we had planned, they gave us the impression that they had outgrown those things.
“We found that we had to get the age range right to provide the youngsters with a happy and enjoyable space to learn.”
The group has now been refreshed and re-launched as St Mary’s Youth.
The group will continue to meet at the church on the first Thursday of every month led by youth leaders Jacqueline Ferguson and Alex Jones.
The time has also been revised and the group will now run from 6.30pm to 8pm.
Revd Harrop said: “There is no youth provision in Gainford and the surrounding villages. We want an environment that is healthy and positive. We want it to be a happy and safe place. We approve of fun and we approve of the children feeling comfortable and talking about different things that they might not have time to talk about much in school.
“We want parents to know that this is a safe, happy and fun place where children can relax. It is also a place that parents and the children can trust.
“We are open to having a separate group for older children that might meet later but we have not started that yet.”
During each session, the children are given the opportunity to take part in a selection of games and craft activities. Snacks are also provided with the support of Morrisons supermarket, in Barnard Castle.
At the September session, youngsters spent their time making “Tommies” as part of Gainford’s Fallen Tommies project which aims to remember the village’s fallen soldiers who served in the First World War but never returned home.
The group’s first anniversary celebrations are due to take place during this month’s session on October 4.
All are welcome to attend The Greatest Showman movie night. Popcorn, hotdogs and soft drinks will be served.
Children must be accompanied by an adult to sign in and all children must be collected by an adult at the end of the session.
