Fresh plans for former youth club in Walsall

Mossley Big Local has bought the former Youth Club on Sneyd Lane for £110,000 and is looking to create a new community hub to support residents.

The building closed in 2016, having been a base for young people since the 1960s, and has remained empty since with boarded up and cracked windows and an overgrown front.

But directors at Mossley Big Local – one of 150 enterprises in the UK funded by The Local Trust – said they are now looking to hear from people about what they want to see in the new hub.

A consultation exercise will be held at St Thomas Church in Cresswell Crescent at 11am on Friday, August 20.

Mossley resident and Big Local director Pauline Kenn, said: “I’ve lived here for 20 years and, unfortunately seen it gradually going down.

“People were really down-hearted. So I’ve spoken to them to find out what they would like on the estate and what they miss is a place where they could go and socialise because the pubs have gone.

“We need something back on the estate. Also, we need to tidy it up. I run a litter picking group and we have put flower beds in for a start.”

Board member councillor Gary Flint added: “People wanted a community space. So, we’ve looked all over the estate and this was available.

“We’ve employed a architectural company who are doing a feasibility study.

“We held lots of consultations pre-Covid but post-Covid we think people’s aspirations and ideas may have changed.

“So the company will give us ideas of what we can do with the space we’ve got, we’ll find out locally what residents want and further afield into the local area.

His colleague councillor Louise Harrison: “The consultation isn’t just for residents of the estate because for a hub of this size to work, we need a larger audience and participation.

“We are open to ideas. This will be their hub.”

Mossley Big Local was set up in 2012 and has worked on projects to reduce isolation and loneliness amongst the elderly, youth projects and helping address food poverty issues as well as holding a variety of events.

During Covid, they continued to support people in the area while negotiations to purchase the building also took place before completion in June.

Angela Virdee, programme delivery officer, said: “For a long time, people have wanted to see this building come alive again. Now they know it has been bought, it has put that positivity in.

“This will be for the whole community from babies all the way to the elderly. Not just the youth.”

She added: “The idea of Mossley Big Local is to empower the residents which is why we have a majority of residents sitting on the board.

“They make the decisions within their community. The best people who know the community are the residents.

“What we aim to do is create a resilient community and support networks so people know where to go if ever they are in need.

“We want to empower them and make them feel proud of where they live.”

Anyone who wishes to make donations or get involved with Mossley Big Local is asked to contact Angela Virdee on 07864 921690.