£200,000 centre opens its doors

A £200,000 state-of-the art centre, which will provide fun and challenging activities for Radcliffe's youngsters, will be officially opened on Saturday.

The former Radcliffe Youth Centre in Westminster Avenue has been refurbished, revamped and renamed -- although competition judges will not reveal the new name until the big day itself!

MPs, civic leaders and town hall top brass will attend the ceremony and celebrate the upgraded facility which will provide a warm, safe and secure place for youngsters to meet.

Later in the day, the youngsters and teenagers themselves will get the chance to try out a host of new facilities during a fun-packed afternoon.

The building has been closed for the past six months while improvements have been carried out. These include a new kitchen, an extra office, disabled facilities and internet access.

But it is the range of opportunities and activities that the centre will provide that is causing most excitement.

Tim Pyzniuk, Radcliffe area youth manager, said: "The centre will be staffed by experienced and qualified staff, both from the youth service and other agencies. There will be representatives from the Connexions Service, the Youth Offending Team, Education Welfare, the Young Person's Advice Service and volunteers."

Opening times will be changed to include daytime, twilight, evening and weekend sessions, dependant on the needs of young people in the area

Saturday's opening will consist of a double celebration. Between 12.30pm and 2.30pm Bury South MP Ivan Lewis, the Mayor and Mayoress of Bury, Coun Wilf Davison and his wife, Maureen, local councillors and officials, education and youth workers and representatives from social services will be given a tour of the building and hear speeches and presentations.

From 3pm to 6pm the centre will open its door to the whole community and demonstrate just what it can provide.

Project manager Pat White said: "There will be a puppet show, lessons from a dance tutor, a tennis coach, football five-a-side and a multi-media project."