A CHARITY providing sanctuary and projects for young people is urging people to donate towards a pool table to make its new base feel like home.
Winchester Street Reach moved into Unit 12, in Winnall, before Christmas to provide a more comfortable and supportive space.
The charity, which focuses on disadvantaged communities in Weeke, Stanmore, Micheldever and Winnall, is now raising money for a pool table to further transform the office.
Street Reach already has a TV, Xbox and furniture which the young people helped to put together and more than £300 of the £790 goal has been raised for the pool table.
Previously, the charity was based within an office at Trinity but the youth workers realised the benefit of having a centre for its projects.
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Operations manager Lottie Clist said: “We’ve always been aware of Unit 12 and then hired a room there for a short amount of time. We had a really good uptake and it led to us thinking more permanently.
“The move is going to allow us to really support those young people. Some are experiencing more adversity than others and we aim to combat loneliness, increase connectivity and raise their aspirations.
“It’s the young people’s space. We’ve been including throughout the process with how the office should look and what should go into it and that’s how the pool table idea began – to make it more of a homely youth club space.
“Having a space which is outside the home, where you can talk about specific topics like sexual health, bullying and alcohol is important.
“Things like pool tables help concentration and cognition but also create a very informal and relaxed atmosphere where you can talk about things and open up. Young people need to socialise and build those social skills up again, meet new people and build new connections outside their inner circle.”
Volunteer director for Unit 12, Cllr John Tippett-Cooper, said: “Street Reach is a brilliant charity and fulfil such a vital need in Winchester - working with some of the area’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people.
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“Youth work has suffered from extreme government cuts over the last decade and charities like Street Reach have had to step up their hard work to fill the gaps. Unit 12 is delighted to have them as part of our family of charities and community-orientated organisations”.
The pool table the young people and youth workers have found also works as a table tennis table and a dining table. The GoFundMe is open until January 27 before the charity will seek other sources of funding. To donate go to gofundme.com/f/help-street-reach-get-a-pool-table-for-youth-club?
The charity has also recently received a grant to provide a warm space on a Friday after school with a hot meal, help with homework and transport to and from football sessions.
For more go to winchesterstreetreach.org/.
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