Youth centre ready to bring in community for festive fun
A city's youth centre is aiming to bring more eyes on the work it does through a special festive event.
The Way Youth Zone in Wolverhampton is holding its "The Way Wonderland" event at the centre on School Street as a way of opening up to the community and showing them what it does to help young people in the city.
The event on Saturday, December 9 will be opened by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Dr Michael Hardacre, at 10am and will feature a Christmas market, festive food and drink and a range of other activities.
Communications and marketing officer Clare Knowles said the day was about bringing some fun to people, but also about bringing in new people to view a place seen by some as a best kept secret.
She said: "We're trying to open up to the community to get new people in and have a look at the building as we've discovered that a lot of people know this building exists, but they don't quite know what's behind the doors.
"We hope that once they come in, they'll see that it's a bit like the TARDIS and will see just how huge it is and the activities going on, so it's all about having as many people as possible through the doors.
"There'll be all sorts of festive gifts and treats on sale in the market, there will be fun and games going on in each of the activity rooms, so people will be able to go around and see all the rooms, and we'll have a Santa's Grotto for a few hours, where kids can meet Santa and get a gift."
Other events on the day will include youngsters from the centre putting on dances and singing songs as part of the entertainment, as well as poetry readings.
Ms Knowles said the day was a way to raise more awareness and help people see the potential of the centre.
She said: "Once you see the building, you'll realise that you can come in and have access to everything and that's when the impact of the centre sort of hits people as they see just how much the building can offer people.
"Our numbers are steadily rising week on week and more people are finding out about us and benefitting from being able to come in for 50p, but we want more people to come in.
"There's so much that this building can offer and the more young people from all around the city who can come through the doors, the better."
The Way Wonderland runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, December 9 at the Way Youth Zone on School Street in Wolverhampton.
To find out more, go to thewayyouthzone.org
