Work to build a new community and youth centre in West Cumbria has begun – marking a significant milestone for a local charity.
The Shackles Off Youth and Community Project in Seascale has been awarded over £500,000 from Nuclear Wastes Services’ Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) programme, through Mid Copeland Community Partnership.
A further £150,000 funding was awarded from Copeland Community Fund, which is administered by Cumberland Council and funded through the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for hosting the Low Level Waste Repository.
The new centre will continue to offer the charity’s activities including youth clubs, one to one support, informal education, over-50s groups and social action – as well as broaden its opportunities.
It will also provide a base for the Seascale & District Royal British Legion and other local groups.
Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister, Nuclear Waste Services representatives and members of the Community Partnership were invited to the site to see the work in progress.
Mandy Taylor, executive officer of Shackles Off, which involves over 350 children and young people, said: “We’re absolutely over the moon that we have received this funding to make our dream a reality and delighted that work is now well under way and we can see fantastic progress being made.
“This new centre means so much for the young people, our staff, volunteers and other local groups who will have a permanent base in the community and one that meets all our needs. We’re very grateful for this funding as we couldn’t have achieved this on our own.”
Demolition work has taken place and building work has started for the eco-friendly project, which will include a community room, youth space, kitchen and storage.
It is hoped the centre, near the Windscale Club, will be finished and ready for use around summer next year.
Shackles Off – which started in 2008 by a small group of volunteers – won Best Youth Project in Cumbria Community Foundation’s Better Tomorrows Awards this week.
It now employs several staff, including operations manager Joanne Pears and many volunteers.
