Group receives £10,000 to continue their work with local teens

Founded almost a year ago, W4 Youth received a welcome boost this week in the form of a £10,000 cheque from the Southfield Ward Forum.

The youth group, for 11-19 year olds in the W4 area, aims to provide a safe place for our young people to relax, have fun, and develop.

Founder Sally Chacatte said: “W4Youth has now been established for over a year and having successfully secured funds with the support of Gary Malcolm, Lib Dem Councillor from their local Ward Forum the group is going from strength to strength.

"W4 Youth has clubs throughout the week with Boxing training on Tuesdays, Drama on Wednesdays and a Dance class about to start on Thursdays. Friday nights are spent playing table tennis, pool, table football and generally having fun.

"The Ward Forum funding will be used for new equipment for the club and for costs of tutors and premises hire."

The club currently runs out of St Peter's Church Hall, Southfield Road although the longer term plan for the youth group is to have its own building so that the club can offer somewhere safe for young people to go and something good for them to do 4-10pm seven days a week.

Councillor Gary Malcolm added: “The reaction of awarding the money to W4 Youth at the Southfield Ward Forum was amazing. Everyone made very positive comments. It certainly seems to me to be the best £10,000 a Council is likely to spend.

"Sally is very hard working and is really helping a lot of young people in our area.”

The group was formed by local parents like Sally Chacatte who wanted to raise awareness in the Chiswick community of the issues young people face.

January 26, 2011