Back on the streets

NAILSEA'S street project is back up and running - two years after it had to close because of lack of cash.The Tudor Trust and Nailsea Town Council have jointly funded the £43,000 running costs of the project which operates out of the Methodist Youth Club of Nailsea (MYCON) at Silver Street.The money will fund all running and staff costs for the initiative for the next year.Youth workers have already been out on the streets and on the first night of the project being up and running, helped a young person who had run away from home.MYCON senior youth worker Andy O'Kane said: "We have already made a big impact with the new street project."We worked at the May Fair which went extremely well and have been out on the streets talking to the young people."We have also been doing some outreach work and talking to young people who wouldn't normally use the youth club and interesting them in the services and activities we offer."Workers have also been visiting areas such as Golden Valley, which has been cause of complaints by residents, in the evenings."I am delighted to have the street project back up and running as it is such a core part of our work."The street project launched in 1998 and was previously funded with cash from the Lottery's Community Fund.It has worked with hundreds of teenagers over the years on issues such as homelessness, drug addiction and antisocial behaviour in the town.It has also helped reduce problems with gangs of youngsters meeting in the precinct and worked on a project to provide a skateboarding facility at the town's Scotch Horn Park.Work has also been carried out in local schools and the Youth Offending Team.Nailsea Town Council chairman Marston Dufty said he was delighted the initiative was back up and running.Councillor Dufty said: "The Street Project is a very valuable initiative to Nailsea and in the past has proved to be very successful."We hope it will continue to have the same success.