A DATE has been set for the reopening of Holsworthy Youth Centre.

Devon County Council closed the youth centre at the beginning of October due to budget cuts. Soon after, an area board spearheaded by Conservative county councillor Barry Parsons and Holsworthy mayor John Allen launched a campaign to reinstate youth provision in the town.

The youth centre, based at Sanders Lane, provided a range of social activities for around 260 young people [in 2013] aged 10 to 19 from Holsworthy and surrounding parishes.

Together with town councillor Lyndon Piper, Holsworthy and Rural CATS (Community Action Through Sport), former youth worker Nigel Lewis-Carpenter and many others, plans were soon established and the county council approved a statement of community interest application. The county council also provided a grant of £10,000 towards start-up costs.

Last week, the area board announced it hopes to reopen the centre at Sanders Lane on Tuesday, April 21 — just over seven months after it closed.

Cllr Allen told last week's town council meeting: "Things are progressing well with the youth centre and the opening is on April 21. There will be a clean up day on April 11 and the following week there is a volunteers' day. Volunteers are starting to come in and it looks good.

"CATS have come on board and the plan is to open it one day at the beginning and then take it from there."

Funding has been secured from various sources to re-open the centre on a three-month trial basis and it will be run as a community project, relying on the support of volunteers and the youth of the town.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.