New free youth club launches in troubled area of Walsall

The club in Blakenall Heath, Bloxwich, is suitable for young people aged between seven and 16 and will be delivered by the Positive Outcomes Project (P.O.P) youth team, which is part of the Bloxwich Community Partnership (BCP).

Walsall Council has contributed £100,000, alongside New Horizons Community Enterprise, as part of ongoing funding to develop additional youth activities.

The youth clubs will be hosted at The Electric Palace – based alongside Palace Play, Shop, Eat – on Blakenall Row, Bloxwich, from Monday to Thursday.

The venue offers a host of activities for youngsters to get involved in, including a pool table, table tennis, technology and games.

The project also delivers ‘P.O.P Health & Wellbeing’ sessions, which are aimed at supporting those aged 16 to 25.

These sessions are held across the week, except Thursdays, from three different centres, Electric Palace, The Manor Farm Shop in The Saddlers Centre and Pleck Youth Club.

The project will also provide a pop-up drop-in service through a youth bus, allowing the team to get to areas that may benefit from the service.

Councillor Garry Perry, deputy leader and portfolio holder for resilient communities at Walsall Council, said: “The support offered by BCP is vital in reaching the young people in our communities.

“I think launching a youth club in the heart of Blakenall, an area which has been the subject of negative press recently, is a step in the right direction.

“I encourage any young person or parent in the borough to engage with the team, they are brilliant and passionate individuals we are lucky to have guide the next generation."

More information about the clubs found at bloxwichcp.co.uk or at ‘POP Youth Project’ on Facebook.